Thornton senior named finalist for National Merit Scholarship

Dylan Poirier, a senior at Thornton Academy in Saco, has been selected as a National Merit Scholar finalist.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual national academic competition among high school students for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships. Students qualify by achieving a high score on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), taken during their junior year of high school.

To become a finalist, Poirier and Thornton Academy school counselor Abby More submitted a detailed scholarship application, providing information about his academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, as well as honors and awards received.

“What truly distinguishes Dylan is not just his innate intelligence, but his self-motivation, drive, and full engagement in his learning,” said More. “He has taken charge of his education with determination and focus, consistently seeking out opportunities to challenge himself and expand his knowledge.”

The National Merit Scholarship Program, created in 1955, honors scholastically talented American youth and encourages them to develop their abilities to the fullest. The nationwide pool of finalists represents less than one percent of United States high school seniors.

Poirier plans to study Computer Science at Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma in the fall.