Opelika High School senior, Alana Jones, has been named a National Achievement semifinalist for 2011.
The National Achievement Scholarship Program is conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) and recognizes academically promising black students throughout the nation.
Jones, one of 1,600 semifinalists, now has the opportunity to continue in the competition for Achievement Scholarship awards worth more than $2.4 million to be offered next spring.
At OHS, Jones is an emissary and officer in SGA, Key Club Secretary and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She plays the clarinet in the Spirit of the South Marching Band and is President of the Latin Club. She is a member of New Life Christian Center in Opelika and is the daughter of Lanorris and Jacqueline Jones.
More than 160,000 high school juniors from all parts of the United States requested consideration in the 2012 National Achievement Scholarship Program when they took the 2010 PSAT (Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test).
Semifinalists are designated within geographic regions and are the highest-scoring program entrants in the states that make up the region. If selected as a finalist, students will compete for one of the 700 one- time National Achievement $2500 scholarships and have the opportunity to earn corporate and/or institutional sponsored scholarships based on the application process.
To be considered for a National Achievement Scholarship, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 80 percent of Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and more than half of the Finalists will win an Achievement Scholarship award. National Merit Scholarship Corporation will announce the finalists in January and will release the names of the scholarship winners in early April.