Two Maine West seniors have been selected as semi‑finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program: They are Ernst C. Kolton and Norine Meister.

Elissa Wittman was also selected as a semi‑finalist. She is presently attending Wisconsin State University at Whitewater, having been entered on the school's early admissions program.

The purposes of the National Merit Program are to recognize students of unusual intellectual ability and promise; to honor publicly such students; to help as many as possible to attend the college of their choice; and to provide a way by which corporations, colleges, and other sources of financial aid can help support able students.

The number of semi‑finalists is roughly proportional to the number of high school seniors graduating in each state.

To become a finalist the semifinalists must take the S.A.T., submit an information form, and furnish financial information. The financial information is used to judge the size of the scholarships to be given. They range from $100 to $1,500 per year.

The scholarships can be renewed yearly if the Merit scholar continues to do well in his college studies.

Those students who did not score high enough to qualify as semi‑finalists but did score high received letters of commendation. These students are Bonnie Bernhard, Christine Calams, Stephen Carlson, Douglas Chase, Patricia Clement, Catherine Gano, David Glade, Charles Hanna, Robert Hovet, Norman Hudson, and Robert Kariotis.

Others are Katherine Kinser, Kathryn Levan, James McNurney, Mary Beth Moll, Janice Nelson, Linda Pinzke, Roberta Saxe, Pamela Triebe, Anita Waskowski, Mark Weaver, and John Wolf.