Eight WCPSS seniors were named 2009 National Merit Corporate Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

The eight students include Rachel C. Rowe, Pradeep B. Gopinathan and Diana L. Xie of Enloe High, Michael S. Nokes of Apex High, Jonathan H. Edwards of Broughton High, Sean M. Bartell of Green Hope High, Sarah Phillips of Middle Creek High and John T. Primm of Panther Creek High.

• Rowe earned a GlaxoSmithKline Scholarship and is interested in secondary education
• Gopinathan earned a George Watts Hill Scholarship from the Research Triangle Institute and is interested in computer science
• Xie earned a GlaxoSmithKline Scholarship and is undecided.
• Nokes earned a Bayer Scholarship and is interested in biology.
• Edwards earned a Tenet Healthcare Foundation Scholarship and is interested in Japanese and graphic art
• Bartell earned a McKesson Scholarship and is interested in computer science.
• Phillips earned an Eaton Scholarship and is interested in international politics.
• Primm earned a GlaxoSmithKline Scholarship and is interested in engineering.

The eight students were among more than 1,000 distinguished high school seniors receiving corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards financed by about 200 companies, foundations, and other business organizations.

The Scholars were selected from students who advanced to the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and meet criteria of their scholarship sponsors. Corporate sponsors provide National Merit Scholarships for Finalists who are children of their employees, residents of communities the company serves, or who plan to pursue college majors or careers the grantor wishes to encourage.

Most of these awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $500 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.

National Merit Scholar Program
More than 1.5 million juniors in over 22,000 high schools entered the 2009 National Merit Scholarship competition when they took the 2007 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. In September 2008, some 16,000 Semifinalists were designated on a state representational basis, in numbers proportional to each state's percentage of the nation's high school graduating seniors. Semifinalists were the highest-scoring program entrants in each state and represented less than one percent of a state's seniors.

To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, Semifinalists had to fulfill requirements to advance to Finalist standing. In addition to submitting a detailed scholarship application, which included an essay describing activities, interests, and goals, Semifinalists had to have an outstanding academic record; be endorsed and recommended by a school official; and earn SAT scores that confirmed their qualifying test performance. Some 15,000 Semifinalists met Finalist requirements.

By the conclusion of the 2009 competition, about 8,200 Finalists will be selected to receive National Merit Scholarships totaling nearly $36 million. Winners are the Finalist candidates judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.