Owen Bates, a senior at Stadium High School, is one of more than 1,600 Black American high school seniors nationwide who have been designated semifinalists in the 45th annual Achievement Scholarship® competition sponsored by the National Achievement Scholarship Program. Bates is the only semifinalist from Tacoma schools. These scholastically talented students now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 800 scholarships worth over $2.6 million to be awarded next spring.
The National Achievement Program, conducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), is a privately financed academic competition that operates without government assistance. It was initiated in 1964 to recognize academically promising black students throughout the nation and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding program participants. To date, over 27,800 young men and women have received Achievement Scholarship awards worth more than $91 million.
Approximately 1,300 semifinalists are expected to fulfill additional requirements and advance to the Finalist level in the 2009 program. All Achievement Scholar® awardees will be selected from the Finalist group on the basis of their abilities, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.