Garcia, Urbis Named National Merit Program Semifinalists

Los Fresnos High School seniors Brianna Garcia and Audrey Urbis have been named semifinalists in the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Only 16,000 students in the nation are named semifinalists each year, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.
From the semifinalists, students will be notified in February if they had advanced to the Finalist level. From the Finalist group, about 7,600 students will earn the National Merit Scholar title.

Garcia and Urbis are among the top three ranked students at LFHS.

“I am honored to be recognized for the National Merit Scholarship Program,” Garcia said. “It has made many opportunities available to me in terms of scholarships, not only from the program itself, but from colleges who acknowledge the honor. I am grateful for all of the support of all of our teachers and administrators.”

Urbis also thanked the support of the staff at LFHS.

“I am really grateful for all of the outstanding teachers at LFHS and the incredible support that I’ve had along the way,” she said. “It will be very interesting over the next few months to see what opportunities this leads to.”

LFHS English Department Chair John Dunkin, who has taught at LFHS since 1987, was not surprised at the honor Garcia and Urbis received.
“They are two of the best of the best,” Dunkin said. “They are not only brilliant, high achievers; they are of the very few students who are truly ‘burning to learn.’ They are both so knowledgeable and inquisitive that their questions and contributions to any class discussion are invaluable.”
Garcia and Urbis are the 10th and 11th Merit Scholars Dunkin has taught in 27 years at LFHS.

“They inspire their classmates and challenge their teachers in the best of ways,” Dunkin said. “National Merit Scholars are the nation’s best and brightest students, and both of them qualify for that distinction.”

Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s goal is to honor academically talented students around the country. In the last 50 years, the program has provided more than 387,000 scholarships.

Garcia offered advice to those students who have yet to take the SAT.
“I encourage all students taking the test to sincerely try doing well, because there is so much value to be gained from those few hours of testing.” Urbis echoed the comments.
“My advice to underclassmen is to focus on the PSAT. It may seem like another insignificant test added to your busy junior year schedule at the time, but your performance on it is actually extremely important.”