[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E2298]]
      HONORING BELLAIRE HIGH SCHOOL'S MERIT SCHOLAR SEMIFINALISTS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN BENTSEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 21, 1998

  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 45 National Merit 
Scholarship Semifinalists at Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas. 
This is the most of any school in Texas and more than all but seven in 
the Nation.
  Every year, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation awards 
approximately 7,000 scholarships worth $28 million for undergraduate 
study. Becoming a National Merit Semifinalist is an extraordinary 
accomplishment. Some 1.2 million high school juniors enter the 
competition by taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude (PSAT)/
National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. To become a semifinalist, a 
student must score high enough on the PSAT to be in the top one percent 
of all scores in Texas.
  Next, the students will compete to become National Merit Finalists. 
If selected after a rigorous application process, these students will 
be eligible for one of 2,400 National Merit Scholarships, worth $2,000. 
The Merit Scholar winners will be announced next spring.
  Having more National Merit Scholar semifinalists than every public 
and private school in Texas underscores that Bellaire High School is a 
premiere institution of learning, where students work hard and take 
pride in their accomplishments. The teachers, school administration, 
parents, and community are doing an extraordinary job preparing these 
young men and women to take their place in the world. This is what is 
possible when teachers demand excellence and parents and students place 
a high value on academic excellence. Bellaire High reflects a level of 
academic success that is becoming Houston Independent School District's 
trademark.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the National Merit Scholar semifinalists 
at Bellaire High School: Ramsey Ashour, Averille Asprec, Jason Barnard, 
Adam Block, Patrick Bloom, Andrew Cheung, Jonathan Chung, Lindsay 
Derman, Kevin Elias, Dan Feng, Brian Foo, Christina Fu, Emily Gray, 
Michael Hollington, Jane Hu, Ana Islam, Risha Israni, Irwin Law, Dennis 
Lee, Amy Len, Nicholas Lindsay, Michael Lipnick, Simon Lu, Amir 
Marouni, Maria McKeehan, Uzochukwu Odili, Jeremy Rahe, Suzanne Sacher, 
Brett Solomon, Gregory Stoll, Angel Sun, Harriet Sun, Karla Sussman, 
Andrew Swaffar, Erin Tavgac, Margie Teng, Millie Thomas, David Tsai, 
Stanley Tsao, Irene Tung, Craig Wellington, Beverly Wind, Diana Yang, 
Ethan Yeh, and Chendi Zhang.
  Additionally, I would like to congratulate another National Merit 
Scholar semifinalist, Jennifer Guest of Westbury High School, which is 
also in the 25th Congressional District.

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