Published in the April 5, 2018 edition
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — North Reading High School senior Caitlyn Galvin has advanced to the finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
As one of approximately 15,000 students nationwide to earn such a designation, she is among the select few academically talented high school seniors to have earned the opportunity to continue in the competition. An estimated 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million will be awarded to Merit Scholars this spring.
Students qualified for the 63rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
CAITLYN GALVIN is a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program, a designation earned by abouy 15,000 students nationwide. Congratulating Caitlyn on her achievement are (at left): Superintendent Jon Bernard and Principal A.J. Loprete and (at right): her guidance counselor Ashley Attura and Assistant Principal Michael Downs. See story inside. (Maureen Doherty Photo)
About 1.6 million juniors attending more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. Only one percent of them, or approximately 16,000 students, were named semifinalists last fall.
To become a finalist, Galvin and the high school administration and guidance departments worked together to submit a detailed scholarship application, which included details such as her academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received.
According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a finalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm her earlier performance on the qualifying test.
Galvin is interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree in political science with a pre-law track. Among the schools to which she has received acceptance letters are Saint Anselm’s, Northeastern and Boston College. She is also waiting to hear from Harvard, Dartmouth and Boston University.
At NRHS, Galvin serves as vice president of the Model U.N., vice president of the Interact Club and is a member of SLAM (Student Leadership and Mentoring), whose members mentor the incoming freshman class. She is also a member of the Academic Decathlon team and the varsity softball team. Last summer, she worked as a student intern in the office of State Senator Bruce Tarr and subsequently won first place in the 2017 Summer Legislative Intern Essay Contest.
Caitlyn is the daughter of Barry and Laurianne Galvin and the older sister of Samantha, a sophomore at NRHS, and Kristen, a sixth-grader at NRMS.
