The Bristol Press – St. Paul’s Catholic Secondary School student named National Merit Scholarship finalist

The National Merit Scholarship program is an academic competition that recognizes students who have demonstrated “exceptional potential for academic achievement”. Nationwide, 1.5 million students participate in the competition each year.

St. Paul Catholic High School Nathan Stellmach is one of 15,000 students to be recognized as a finalist.

“When I found out I was a finalist for the National Merit Scholarship, of course I was humbled and honored to have that consideration,” Stellmach said. “But I was also grateful and grateful to my family for all their support. I’m also extremely grateful to all the teachers I’ve been blessed with because without them I wouldn’t be in this position.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, nationalmerit.org, the recognition and scholarship competition began in 1955. Since then, the National Merit Scholarship has recognized 3.4 million students and provided 451,000 scholarships worth over $1.8 billion.

To enter the competition, students first take the Preliminary Academic Aptitude Test (PSAT) to qualify.

“Awards given by the NMSC to exceptionally gifted students are considered definitive marks of excellence,” the website states. “Recipients of merit-based scholarships, merit scholarships, and special corporate-sponsored scholarships have increased the nation’s respect for intellectual achievement and contributed significantly to its talent pool of future leaders. ”

The president and chief administrator of St. Paul’s Catholic High School, Cary Dupont, praised Stellmach for his efforts.

“We are all extremely proud of Nathan and his academic journey,” said Dupont. “He’s a great role model and represents the best of St. Paul.”

Brian M. Johnson can be reached at 860-973-1806 or [email protected].