The National Merit Semifinalists with Headmistress Joan Magnetti, rscj are from left to right, Elizabeth Daley, Marcella Dresdale and Alyssa Ruggiero.

Alyssa C. Ruggiero, a tweflth grade student at Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greewnich ’s headmistress, Joan Magnetti, rscj, announced that the following three students were named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.  The students are Elizabeth L. Daley, Marcella E. Dresdale and Alyssa C. Ruggiero. 

The three students are seniors and were selected from the more than 1.3 million students in nearly 21,000 U.S. high schools who entered the 2006 National Merit program by taking the 2004 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.  The announcement was made at the School’s opening prayer service for the new school year.

These scholastically talented students have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $33 million, that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements and advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the title Merit Scholar. 

Convent of the Sacred Heart, located at 1177 King Street, in Greenwich, is an independent, college preparatory day school for girls from preschool through twelfth grade.  For information, visit the website, www.cshgreenwich.org.