The typical semi‑finalist in the Illinois State Scholarship Program has an academic record at the end of his junior year which ranks him at the 94 percentile. He is one of 10,348 participants enrolled in one of Illinois' 748 high schools.

Maine West claims 47 such "typical" students.

On the basis of the tests they took on November 13, each one of these students will receive either one of 3,000 monetary or 7,000 honorary awards to be granted for the 1966‑67 academic year. Each participant will also receive a Certificate of Merit.

Monetary awards are granted for amounts ranging from $300 to $1,000 provided the student attends an institution within Illinois. Honorary awards are granted to students attending colleges in Illinois but with no need for financial assistance.

All semi‑finalists receive a Certificate of Merit, and those students attending universities outside of Illinois receive only a Certificate of Merit.

These scholarships are applicable to students going into all fields including dentistry, occupational therapy, art, teaching, and the priesthood.

The 47 semi‑finalists from Maine are seniors: Colin Baenziger, Sharon Bales, Steven Beilstein, Leslie Belzer, Paul Bourgeois, Sandra Breuscher, Robert Burgess, Nancy Carlson, Edward Challberg, Carol Collister, Dennis Doyle, Linda Fick, Wendy Geertz, Ellen Geiger, Pamela Giorno, Norman Glitz, Thomas Graefe, Lawrence Hofman, John Hollenback, Thomas Holtz, Richard Hudson, Arland Johannes, Kathy Kassnel, George Kinstedt, Nancy Kruse, Peter Kulik, Burton Lucas, James Mathieson, Robert McGee, John McNurney, Edward Nichols, Erik Nygaard, Linda Olson, Drusilla Owen, Jeffrey Pick, Donna Prenner, Margaret Ringl, Gretchen Rivard, Shirley Robaus, Mary Ann Sloan, Linda Stearns, Ronald Swenson, Roy Tipton, Robert Turner, Tonya Vansickel, and Joseph Wadz.

$10,000,000 has been appropriated by the General Assembly for scholarships; the funds available to the Illinois State Scholarship Commission amounts to $1,800,000.

"The students of Maine West and the faculty are very proud that so many students ranked as high as they did in the Illinois State Scholarship Program" stated Mr. Robert Wells, assistant principal. "These students are to be congratulated for their hard work."