IMSA Names Eight National Achievement Semifinalists
For Immediate Release, October 2003
For comment, contact Brenda Buschbacher at
(630) 907-5033
AURORA—The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) recently recognized eight semifinalists in the 2004 National Achievement Scholarship Program, an academic competition for African-American high school students.
The students and their former schools are Amanda J. Adeleye of West Chicago (Bartlett High School), Zainab O. Azeez of Chicago (Whitney Young High School - Chicago), Adam Butler of Mundelein (Mundelein Consolidated High School), *Ayodele A. Gomih of Olympia Fields (O. W. Huth Middle School - Matteson), Shareese N. Pryor of Aurora (East Aurora High School), Analisa Rogers of Country Club Hills (Seton Academy - South Holland), Darian Turner of East St Louis (East St. Louis Senior High School), and Kevin D. Yokley of Chicago (Walter Payton College Preparatory High School - Chicago)
They are among approximately 1,600 semifinalists now eligible to compete for about 775 achievement scholarships. The program, conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, is supported by corporate organizations, professional associations, higher education institutions, and NMSC’s own funds.
These eight are among nearly 120,000 African-American students nationwide who took the 2002 Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), the test used in the competition. Scholarships worth about $2.7 million dollars will be awarded to selected finalists next spring.
Located in Aurora, Illinois, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy is an internationally-recognized pioneering educational institution created by the State to develop talent and stimulate excellence in teaching and learning in mathematics, science and technology. IMSA's advanced residential college preparatory program enrolls 639 academically talented Illinois students in grades 10-12. More than 17,000 teachers and 26,000 students in Illinois and beyond have benefited from IMSA's professional development and enrichment programs. IMSA serves the people of Illinois through innovative instructional programs, public and private partnerships, policy leadership and action research.
*This IMSA student qualified to take the PSAT/NMSQT in their senior year.