IN Fox Chapel Area Winter 2013 | Page 15

PHOTO COURTESY TOWN AND COUNTRY STUDIO The Fox Chapel Area High School 2014 National Merit Semifinalists. Additionally, 18 high school seniors were named Commended Students. They are: Marisa Acevedo, Aditya Acharya, Emily Bach, Elizabeth Bianchini, Jackson Brooke, Danielle Burton, Roman Cano, Dante Cordaro, Connor Duquette, Taha El-Magbri, Montgomery Faucher, Nora Fisher, John Hartsock, Jacob Norman, Yonatan Quemado, David Reis, Daniel Tabas, and McKenna Trimble. This year’s National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Students were selected based on their 2012 Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) scores. Each year college-bound 11th grade students complete the PSAT/NMSQT. All the students who take this test are automatically enrolled in the National Merit Scholarship Program and approximately 16,000 advance to become Semifinalists and about 34,000 are Commended. KERR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND STAFF HONOR VETERANS T he members of the Kerr Elementary School Building Committee believe that everyone should recognize and honor the sacrifices made by American military personnel. It’s for that reason that the Kerr students and staff not only organized a drive for veterans, but created a beautiful patriotic display near the entryway of the school. For the second year, Kerr students and staff members were invited to submit a photo of someone they know who has served or is currently serving in the military. The display included information about the person, his/her branch of service, and his/her connection to a member of the Kerr School family. According to Dr. Paul Noro, Ed.D., “It’s deeply important that we show respect for our veterans. We want to commemorate those who have given their lives and honor those who are currently in the armed forces and to thank them for their service.” Art teacher MaryAlice Hart concurs, stating, “We want the boys and girls to understand how many people, some even from their own families, have fought for the freedoms we