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Merit Scholar Winners Announced

Merit Scholar Winners Announced image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
April
Year
1969
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
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Seven área high-school seniors were named National Merit Scholarship winners today in an announcement by John M. Stalnaker, president of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The winners include two students in Pioneer High School and two students in Huron High School. They are Nancy A. Burks and William van der Schalie from Pioneer High, and Alan A. Kortesoja and Janet L. Polasky from Huron High. The other winners are Richard R. Emerson of Belleville High School, M. Regina Green of Clinton High School and Gretchen R. Buceos of Ypsilanti High School. The local scholarship winners are among 3,000 winners from across the nation. They were chosen from among 15,000 students who b e c a m e National Merit finalists. Merit Scholarships are of two types: Four-year scholarships which provide between $100 to $1,500 per year, depending upon the individual student's need, and a one-time, non-renewable grant of $1,000. The scholarships are financed by business corporations, foundations, colleges, unions, professional associations, trusts and individuals. Students are selected on the basis of their performances on examinations and their highschool records. All of the winners scored in the top half of one per cent of graduating high school seniors in their states on the Merit tests. Last year, Ann Arbor High School had a record 10 National Merit winners, the largest number of Merit Scholars in any one year in the sehool's history. Miss Burks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Burks of 1413 Morton, is the winner of a $1,000 National Merit Scholarship. She is a member of the executive board of Youth for Education and Schools (YES), and of Future Adults Interested in Intergroup Relations (FAIR). She was a representative to a model United Nations. She is on the staff of the "Optimist," the Pioneer High School newspaper. She plays the violin. Miss Burks plans to attend Swarthmore College. Van der Schalie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry van der Schalie of 1422 Iroquois, received a four-year Michigan State University Merit Scholarship. Van der Schalie has been on the honor roll for three years. He has been a member of the Ann Arbor High School Symphony Band for three years, and also played with the Ann Arbor Civic Band for one summer. Kortesoja, son of the Arthur H. Kortesojas of 866 Wickfield Ct, received a $1,000 National Merit Scholarship. He is an editorial director of the Huron High School newspaper. He has consistently been on the honor roll with a straight-A average. He was among the top 100 students in the state in the Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition, and was the winner of the Rensselaer Math and Science Award. He is a member of the Huron High Student Council and was chairman of his school's free-press committee. Kortesoja was a finalist in the Michigan Competitive Scholarship Competition, and has ticipated in the Saturday Science Seminars. He plans to attend the University of Michigan. Miss Polasky, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alan N. Polasky of 12 Heatherridge, is the winner of a $1,000 National Merit Scholarship. She is vice president of the FAIR group, is a student representative on the Huron High Biracial Citizens' Advisory uoara, is a memoer oí tnc "Emery" staff (Huron High's student newspaper), and is a member of the Huron High site committee and Youth For Education and Schools. Miss Polasky plays the bassoon in the high school Symphony Band. She has received Detroit News Writing Awards. Miss Polasky plans to attend Carleton College. Gretchen A. Buceos, of 1212 Grant, Ypsilanti, is a student at Ypsilanti High School. She is a varsity debater, business manager, assistant editor and reporter on her school paper, a member of the National Honor Society, drum and bugle corps, yearbook staff and literary magazine staff. She has been named DAR Good Citizen. Miss Buceos was awarded a Michigan State University Merit Scholarship. She has been accepted at MSU as an honors freshman. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Buceos. Richard R. Emerson of 140 Madeion, Belleville, a 1 1 e n d s Belleville High School. He is president of the National Honor Society, a member and president of the United Nations Club, president of the Belleville Concert Choir, and a four-year delégate and committee chairman of the model UN Assembly. He is a varsity football player and a Student Council representative. M. Regina Green, of 117 W. Franklin, Clinton, is a senior at Clinton High School. She has been named to "Who's Who Among American High School Students" and "Outstanding Teenager of America." She is co-valedictorian of her class, a member of the National Honor Society, and president of the Spanish Club and the Student Government. She is a member of I the marching and concert bands. I