WELLS — Wells High School senior Kate Macolini has been selected as a semifinalist in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program. This academic achievement is a result of Macolini’s high test scores on the 2014 Preliminary SAT National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which administers this program, released the list of Semifinalists in September.

Last fall, 1.5 million high school juniors at 22,000 high schools took the PSAT/ NMSQT. Today there are 16,000 Semifinalists.

Macolini now has the opportunity to apply to become a finalist and compete for one of thousands of National Merit Scholarships available worth a combined total of $32 million. These scholarships will be available in the spring of 2016 to about half of 15,000 remaining Finalists. To become a Finalist, one must meet high academic standards and fulfill certain requirements in the application process.

“I am very excited about it,” said Kate Macolini about becoming a Semifinalist. She added that she did not expect this news because she believed that her scores were “just average scores.”

“Kate is an integral part of the WHS community as well as being a highly committed student,” said WHS guidance counselor Sherri Anderson-Wormwood. “She has an indefatigable love of learning which translates into academic success. She is a wellrounded student who will no doubt contribute greatly to her college community – both inside and outside of the classroom.

“Kate has received honors and accolades athletically, musically and academically including the Dartmouth Book Award, Literary Achievement Award, and Student of the Trimester; as well as book awards and certificates in English, foreign language, science, and mathematics,” Anderson-… Wormwood said.

At school, Macolini is president of the National Honor Society, active in student government, a member of the track team, the math team, marching and concert band, the Political Affairs Club, and the school newspaper. She served as Class of 2016 secretary during her freshman and sophomore years.

Macolini will graduate from Wells High School in June 2016 and hopes to study biology or engineering in college. Kate Macolini is the daughter of Melissa and John Macolini of Wells.

“NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence,” states the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s website.