Justin J. Moore, a senior at Baton Rouge Magnet High School, just received a National Achievement Scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation this month. Moore, who plans on going into the field of biochemistry/neuroscience, won an Honorary Achievement Scholarship, signifying the scholar’s educational plans or other awards preclude receipt of a monetary scholarship.
Moore was one of four Finalists from the East Baton Rouge Parish School System for the National Achievement Scholarship awards announced in February. He, Danielle Lomas and David Holmes represented Baton Rouge Magnet High School. Andre Taplin represented McKinley High School.
Across the United States, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of some 800 outstanding African-American high school seniors who have won Achievement Scholarship awards through the National Achievement Scholarship Program. These awards totaling over $2 million dollars are being financed by grants from about 30 corporate organizations and professional associations and by National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
The National Achievement Scholarship Program is a privately financed academic competition established in 1964 specifically to honor scholastically talented Black American youth and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding participants in each annual competition. By the conclusion of the 2011 program, marking the 47th annual competition, more than 31,000 participants will have received scholarships for undergraduate study worth about $98 million.
All students who advanced to the Finalist level in the 2011 competition were considered for these single-payment scholarships, which were awarded on a regional representation basis, in proportion to the population of black Americans in each geographic region.
About 100 Scholars are winners of corporate-sponsored Achievement Scholarship awards. Almost all corporate-sponsored scholarships are renewable and provide stipends that can vary from $500 to $10,000 per year, but a few provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000.
