Local students recognized for high test scores

By Frances Vanderploeg

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008 | midnight

At Green Valley High School, many students can't help but aim high.

That's what Leah Yaffe, a senior, learned when she decided to take the Preliminary SAT as a junior.

Good thing she did. She learned Sept. 10 she was representing Green Valley as a National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalist.

The 16,000 national semifinalists represent the top 1 percent of scorers on the PSAT.

"I am really happy that I was one of the people that got it," she said. "I think there's a lot of really smart people at Green Valley that probably could have gotten it, but maybe it just wasn't the right day."

Out of the 84 Nevada semifinalists, eight attend Henderson schools, including:

• Naomi Okada of Community College High School — South.
• Arianne Glick, Alexis Harvey, Eric Kleinberg and Angiela Sivakumar of Coronado High School.
• Joel Simmons of Foothill High School.
• Leah Yaffe of Green Valley High School.
• Hannah Prochaska of Lake Mead Christian Academy.

Making it to the finals requires semifinalists to submit an essay talking about their personal characteristics and accomplishments, an application and recommendation from the school's principal.

National Merit finalists are eligible for scholarships of $2,500.

"It's probably one of the biggest honors a high school student can get," Bob Smyth, counselor at Coronado, said. "It's part natural gift but a lot of it is outstanding education."

Smyth said he credits Coronado's feeder schools — Bob Miller and Del Webb middle schools — for preparing the students early on with advanced classes.

"Their curriculum has pushed the kids farther," he said.

Frances Vanderploeg can be reached at 990-2660 or [email protected].