PANAMA CITY — Several area students earned high academic honors last week.
Connor Morrow of Mosley High School, Jessie J. King of Bay High School, Sean Stanley of Rutherford High School and Michelle Adcock of North Bay Haven Charter Academy were all named among the 16,000 semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship program. They have the opportunity to continue in the competition, which offers 7,600 scholarships totaling about $33 million.
To win a National Merit Scholarship, students must maintain high academic performance throughout high school, perform well on the PSAT/NMSQT and the SAT and fulfill other requirements. Winners are chosen based on various criteria including academic record, test scores, written recommendations from high schools, students’ activities and leadership and students’ essays.
King also was named Bay County’s U.S. Presidential Scholars nominee. The program recognizes students throughout the country who have exhibited outstanding performance in academics or in the arts. King was unaware she had been nominated, much less won the nomination, before it was announced earlier this week.
“It was kind of a surprise,” King said. “They put it on the announcements and my class didn’t actually watch the announcements that day, so someone texted me later saying ‘Congratulations,’ and I was like, ‘For what?’ ”
King was nominated by Bay High assistant principal Kris Palfrey based on her performance in the Florida Vocal Association’s All-State Choir. King was chosen to perform in the concert chorus last year, one of the event’s best-performing groups.
Bay High choir director Julia House has taught King, now a senior, since her freshman year. She described King as a “team player” and said she never has a “harsh word about anybody.”
“I’m just really proud of her. I have a lot of wonderful students who deserve lots of wonderful things and Jessie is one of the best,” House said.
King, the daughter of Jessica and Jim Norton, plans to attend the University of Florida to major in medicine and vocal performance.
Adcock, the daughter of Avery and Carla Adcock, plans to attend the University of Florida to pursue a degree in English.
Morrow, the son of Dr. Michael and Mimi Morrow plans to attend the University of Florida or Vanderbilt University to pursue a degree in mathematics and physics.
Stanley, the son of Laura and Christopher Stanley, plans to attend MIT to pursue a degree in engineering.