The
National
Merit
Scholarship
Corporation
(NMSC)
named
Patriot
High
School
Class
of
2021
graduate
Abigail
Lacuesta
a
2021
National
Merit
Northrop
Grumman
Scholarship
winner.
Lacuesta
is
one
of
approximately
1,000
high
school
students
who
won
2021
corporate-sponsored
National
Merit
Scholarship
awards.
Lacuesta
entered
the
2021
National
Merit®
Scholarship
Program
by
taking
the
2019
SAT/National
Merit
Scholarship
Qualifying
Test
(PSAT/NMSQT®),
which
serves
as
an
initial
screening.
By
being
one
of
the
highest-scoring
entrants
in
the
state,
she
was
first
recognized
as
a
semifinalist.
"I
was
really
surprised
[to
be
named
a
semifinalist],
actually,"
said
Lacuesta.
"I
did
not
think
I
would
make
it
that
far,
and
I
was
ecstatic
to
find
out
that
I
was
a
semifinalist.
[When
chosen
as
a
winner],
I
was
still
a
little
surprised,
but
mostly,
I
was
excited.
I
felt
honored
to
be
chosen."
Winners
were
identified
by
judges
as
having
the
strongest
combination
of
academic
skills
and
achievements,
extracurricular
accomplishments,
and
potential
for
success
in
rigorous
college
studies.
Lacuesta
was
named
a
winner
in
the
first
announcement
of
National
Merit
Scholars
in
2021
by
National
Merit
Scholarship
Corporation
(NMSC®),
accompanying
27
other
scholars
from
Virginia.
Throughout
her
time
in
Prince
William
County
Public
Schools,
Lacuesta
was
involved
in
the
gifted
education
program,
which
motivated
her
academically.
While
that
program
fostered
her
love
for
learning
and
connected
her
with
peers,
her
work
ethic
and
will
to
succeed
came
more
naturally
to
her.
"I
think
my
motivation
is
mainly
intrinsic.
I
feel
lucky
to
be
able
to
enjoy
learning
and
the
desire
to
learn
more,"
shared
Lacuesta.
"I
am
still
partially
motivated
by
grades
like
most
other
students,
but
I
find
that
in
all
of
my
classes,
there
is
at
least
one
thing
that
I
find
interesting."
Lacuesta
will
attend
Virginia
Commonwealth
University
in
Richmond,
Virginia,
to
major
in
English.
Eventually,
she
hopes
to
work
in
the
publishing
industry.
In addition, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) named Osbourn Park High School Class of 2021 graduate Lori Shoemaker a 2021 National Merit Northrop Grumman Scholarship winner. Shoemaker was awarded the National Merit University of Texas at Dallas Scholarship.
Lastly, congratulations to Sophia Evanisko and Avik Rao, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Class of 2021 graduates, for winning National Merit Scholarships. Evanisko, a Prince William County resident and former Mountain View Elementary School and Bull Run Middle School student, earned the $2,500 National Merit Scholarship. Rao, a Prince William County resident and former Glenkirk and Piney Branch Elementary Schools, and Bull Run Middle School student, earned the National Merit University of Maryland Scholarship.
NMSC,
a
not-for-profit
organization
that
operates
without
government
assistance,
was
established
in
1955
to
conduct
the
National
Merit
Scholarship
Program.
The
majority
of
National
Merit
Scholarships
offered
each
year
are
underwritten
by
some
400
independent
corporate
and
college
sponsors
that
support
NMSC's
efforts
to
honor
the
nation's
scholastically
talented
youth
and
encourage
academic
excellence
at
all
levels
of
education.