Seven students from Schreiber High School have been selected as Semifinalists in the prestigious 2006 National Scholarship Competition, according to officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their academic performance, accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin or religious preference.

Arielle L. Buss, Andrew R. Gross, Shira E. Helft, Daniella S. Malekan, Jillian A. Marcellus, Carmiel E. Schickler and Nicholas R. Werle were selected from among 16,000 scholastically talented high school seniors now eligible to continue in the competition for a chance to earn one of more than 8,000 Merit Scholarship awards, worth an estimated $33 million, to be offered next spring. Every one of these outstanding students has attended Port Washington schools from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Superintendent of Schools Geoffrey Gordon was elated with these results. "The longer our students stay in our school district, the more they benefit from our wonderful teachers and staff, fine facilities and supportive community," Dr. Gordon pointed out. "When a student's own hard work and the encouragement of his or her parents are combined with long-term immersion in our educational program, the results are outstanding."

Approximately 1.3 million students took the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Semifinalists are the 16,000 highest scorers designated on a state representational basis; they are the highest scoring entrants in each state and are in the top 1 percent of all students who took this test. Merit Scholarship winners for 2006 will be announced beginning in April and concluding in July.