4 Signal Mountain Middle High Students Are National Merit Semifinalists

Signal Mountain Middle High announces four National Merit Semifinalists from the Class of 2021. Matthew Ashline, Carson Bock, Chase Post and "Yoonie" Seo Yoon Yang represent the top 1.25 percent of seniors in the nation.

Officials said, "This year’s group from SMMHS is the largest number from any single public school in our area and represents the rigor and standard of education for which teachers and students at SMMHS strive. 

These students qualified as juniors last year by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), the initial screen of program entrants. 

They are among the 16,000 highest scorers nationwide of the 1.6 million students who took the test, which evaluates critical reading, math and writing skills. These academically talented students will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $31 million that will be offered next spring. 

Of the 16,000 Semifinalists, more than 90 percent are expected to obtain finalist standing and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit scholarship. 

“We are so proud of Matthew, Carson, Chase and Yoonie for their amazing achievement of being recognized as National Merit Semifinalists,” said SMMHS Principal Dr. Shane Harwood. “Each of these students have worked so hard in seeking our most rigorous courses while balancing their extracurricular activities and commitments outside of school. This accomplishment is special, and we want to congratulate these students, their teachers and their families.”