Merit Scholars Announced
Oct. 5, 2017 -- Heights High seniors Melanie Graham and Mary Jane Reinhardt were named National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalists in the 2018 competition and have the opportunity to advance to the Finalist level and qualify for the National Merit Scholarships.
The Heights High National Merit Scholars: Rosalind Madorsky, William Hopkins, Mary Jane Reinhardt and Melaine Graham, (L-R).
Nationally, 16,000 Semifinalists were recognized, representing less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors.
William Hopkins and Rosalind Madorsky were named Commended Students in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. They placed among the top five percent of the students who entered the competition.
About 34,000 Commended Students are recognized nationwide for their exceptional academic promise.
More than 1.6 million students entered the National Merit Scholarship qualifying competition by taking the PSAT test in the fall of their junior year.
Meet the Merit Scholars:
Melanie Graham takes three of her classes at Case Western Reserve University and John Carroll University with Ohio’s College Credit Plus (CCP). She is enrolled in physics and English literature at CWRU and statistics at JCU. Her Heights High courses are AP calculus and symphony. One of her favorite school activities is playing violin in the Heights Symphony and the mellophone in the marching band. “I like being around others who are interested in music,” she said. She plays violin in the Cleveland Youth Orchestra. For the past two years she has been the captain of the swim team and works as a lifeguard at the Heights High pool in the early mornings. She is a member of the National Honor Society. After graduation she plans to study aerospace or mechanical engineering and is applying to Georgia Tech, University of Minnesota and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mary Jane Reinhardt has always liked to read and write and this year she is enjoying the AP Literature and Composition class. “The literary analysis is very high caliber and really interesting,” she said. She is also focused on current events and political science. This year she is the President of the Model UN club that competes in events that simulate the work of United Nations. One of her favorite school activities is playing the bass drum in the marching band. “The marching band is a great place to have fun and meet friends,” she said. Mary Jane has had lead roles in several of the school musicals, is part of the theater program and is a member of the National Honor Society. This fall she plans to apply to Northwestern University and several other schools and will study political science and journalism in preparation for law school.
William Hopkins’ schedule has two kinds of classes: AP or instrumental music. His AP courses are calculus, literature & composition, chemistry and psychology. He excels in these classes and says that the music classes - symphonic winds and jazz ensemble - have had a big impact on his life. “Music has taught me that if I am persistent and work hard, I can see the results,” he said. He plays trumpet in both groups and also in the marching band where he is sergeant of the trumpet section. He also values the friendships he has formed in the music program. He is a member of National Honor Society and for the past four years, he has been a member of the tennis team. He plans to study computer science next year and is applying to Ohio State University, Miami University and University of Cincinnati.
Rosalind Madorsky is interested in the social sciences and social justice. She especially liked the AP economics class she took last year and enjoyed reading about the connection between the social sciences and economic issues. She is part of the CCP program and is enrolled in an English class at CWRU. As a member of the City Club Youth Forum, she helped plan the September affirmative action forum. She is also the Social Action Vice President of the Reformed Jewish Youth Movement’s regional board and is a member of the National Honor Society. Rosalind plans to study economics and environmental studies and is applying to several colleges.