Two National Merit Semifinalists in Valley
September 18, 2008
By Laura Geggel
Mount Si High School senior Frances Gill is a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist. Photo Contributed
Before she took the Preliminary SAT her junior year, Mount Si High School senior Frances Gill signed up for a daily SAT question of the day and completed the PSAT as a sophomore.
That was practice enough for Gill to master the PSAT and qualify as a National Merit Semifinalist.
After taking the test her junior year, Gill said she “felt pretty good about it.”
“The writing was probably the easiest,” she said. “Math was probably the hardest, but not particularly hard.”
Gill is one of about 16,000 students nationwide who placed as semifinalists with the National Merit Scholarship Corp. Less than 1 percent of about 1.5 million students who took the 2007 PSAT qualify as semifinalists.
“She did exceptionally well on the PSAT,” said Mount Si Counselor Joe Galagan.
Chris Jackson, who taught Gill in his AP American literature class last year, agreed.
“She’s an extremely thoughtful, insightful young lady who has a very mature understanding of literature and ideas,” Jackson said.
Gill is the only semifinalist in her class from Mount Si High School. A home-school student from Snoqualmie, Kyle Clark, was also named a semifinalist.
In late September, about 34,000 students will receive Letters of Commendation for scoring well on the PSAT. Both commended scholars and finalists have opportunities to win scholarships, with finalists receiving $2,500.
Last year, three Mount Si seniors earned National Merit honors, including Ben Joselyn, who was a semifinalist, and Kyle Hansen Kahn and Breanna Morries, who were recognized as National Merit Commended Scholars.
Gill has until Oct. 10 to finish an application for the finalist platform. She already took the SAT Reasoning test and scored a 2380 out of a possible 2400 points.
“Frances Gill is one of the most amazing people I’ve ever known in my entire life,” said her mother, Kathy Oakland. “Aside form her intelligence, she has compassion that is unequalled.”
When she’s not busy with homework, Gill said she does gymnastics, plays the piano and participates in the Rubik’s Cube Club.
Gill will learn this February if she is one of 15,000 finalists for the 2009 National Merit Scholarship program.
The next PSAT, which tests critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills, will be offered at Mount Si High School Oct. 18.
Reach reporter Laura Geggel at 392-6434 x221 or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.
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