One Rocky Mount Academy senior has been named a semifinalist in the 2013 National Achievement Scholarship Program, while three RMA seniors have been named Commended Students in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Alex Thompson, daughter of Allen and Sherry Thompson, was named by the National Merit Scholarship Program as one of more than 1,600 Black American high school seniors who have been designated Semifinalists in the 49th annual National Achievement program.

These scholastically talented young men and women now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 800 Achievement Scholarship awards worth more than $2.5 million. To advance to the finalist level, she and RMA must provide information about her academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and educational goals. Thompson will find out next spring if she is a winner.

Thompson is the 2007 recipient of the Ann MacPherson Weaver Memorial Scholarship at Rocky Mount Academy. It is the only full tuition scholarship awarded by RMA. She started at Rocky Mount Academy the following school year, in the ninth grade, and, based on merit, has continued to earn the scholarship each year.

She is a member of the National Honor Society and an Academic Marshal. She plays for the Varsity Girls Soccer and Rocky Mount Academy volleyball teams. Thompson is also very involved in Girl Scouts.

She also tutors students at Winstead Avenue Elementary School as a part of the STARS program which was started by an RMA student.

“We are so proud of Alex,” RMA Head of School Beth Covolo said. “We first met Alex when she competed for the Ann Weaver Scholarship. We were impressed with her then, and it has been our good fortune to have her as a Rocky Mount Academy student for the past four years. She has been such an asset to this school. She’s a winner in our eyes.

“We’re glad that the National Merit Scholarship Program recognized her talent and leadership, too.”

RMA seniors Will Adams, Emily Ferguson, and Tripp Andracchio received Letters of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, recognizing them for their “exceptional academic promise.”

They placed among the top 5 percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2013 competition by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

“The young people recognized as Commended Students represent some of the best and brightest minds in the country,” an NMSC representative said.

Although they are no longer in the running for a National Merit Scholarship, the representative said, “we sincerely hope this recognition will provide them with additional educational outlets and motivate them in their pursuit of academic achievement.”

Adams is the son of Randy and Sally Adams. Ferguson is the daughter of Bill Ferguson and Marzena Laszewski. Tripp Andracchio is the son of Vince and Genie Andracchio.

Last year, one of the National Merit Scholarship winners did come out of Rocky Mount Academy, as well as the only Morehead-Cain Scholar (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill) in the Nash-Rocky Mount area.

Rocky Mount Academy is an independent prekindergarten to 12th grade school that is dedicated to preparing students for life and college by stressing academic rigor, character education and community service.

Since the first commencement ceremony in 1971, almost 100 percent of its graduates have gone on to attend college after receiving their diplomas from Rocky Mount Academy.