by Dennis Dalman
A Sartell resident, Amanda Bolton, has been named as one of the semi-finalists to receive a National Merit Scholarship.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for student recognition and scholarships.
Bolton, the daughter of Nicole and Aaron Bolton, is a senior at St. John’s Prep School in Collegeville, near St. John’s University.
Bolton is one of 16,000 students nationwide and 288 students in Minnesota to earn semi-finalist status. That means she scored among the top-scoring students who took the National Merit qualifying test. About 1.5 million students nationwide take that test every year.
To achieve finalist status, Bolton will submit a detailed application about her academic achievements, school and community activities, leadership qualities, honors and awards. The finalists will be announced this coming February.
Bolton not only excels academically but is extremely active in school. She is co-captain of the soccer and basketball teams, competes in varsity track-and-field, serves on the National Honor Society and is co-captain of the German Club. She is also a member of the Mock Trial and Envirothon teams. And as if that were not enough, she finds time to work as a nursing assistant at Good Shepherd Community.
Her college plans include the study of molecular, cellular and developmental biology. Eventually, she wants to attend medical school to become a pediatric dermatologist.
Amanda Bolton
