Cazenovia High School senior Nick Barna has been selected a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winner by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program.
“Cazenovia CSD congratulates Nick Barna on his selection as a $2,500 scholarship winner and applauds his efforts over his career as a graduating high school student,” the district said in a statement. “Nick has shined not only in the classroom over his time at Cazenovia, but has also been active in student activities and has demonstrated leadership by his example.” Barna will attend Dartmouth College in the fall of 2018.
Barna’s research on lithium ion batteries in Dr. Ian Hosein’s lab at Syracuse University Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering is currently under review for publication in the journal American Chemical Society: Macromolecules. He is the captain of the Cazenovia Mock Trial team, captain of varsity cross country and is trumpet section leader and first chair trumpet in the wind ensemble and jazz band. He won the Harvard Book Award as a junior. He volunteers with Project Café and the Project Café mentorship program.
Nick is the son of Jim and Jen Barna.
National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.
These Scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the Finalists and their high schools: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.
NMSC finances most of these single-payment National Merit $2500 Scholarships. Corporations and company foundations that sponsor awards through NMSC also help underwrite these scholarships with grants they provide in lieu of paying administrative fees. Scholars may use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
