7 Hamilton County students named National Merit finalists

Seven Hamilton County schools high school seniors have been named finalists for the 2018 National Merit Scholarship.

These students, from six different high schools across the district, have been recognized for their academic accomplishments — starting with their high scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT). Only about 15,000 high school seniors nationwide earn this honor each year. In September, 28 semifinalists were announced in the region.

Hamilton County’s seven students will have the opportunity to continue in the competition, made up of the top 1 percent of high school students across the country, competing for approximately 7,500 scholarships worth more than $433 million.

“Just being a finalist is a great deal,” said Gail Chuy, principal of East Hamilton High School. Two of Chuy’s students are among the district’s finalists. “I think it’s a testament to the dedication that our teachers have and that the kids here have.”

The two finalists at East Hamilton, Joseph Azevedo and Joshua Lagria, both have another big accomplishment — they scored perfect scores on the ACT.

Azevedo also got a perfect score on his Advanced Placement Computer Science exam last year. He plans on studying and pursuing a career in computer science. Lagria hopes to study mechanical engineering.

“These seven seniors are extremely talented with a bright future ahead,” said Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. “Our National Merit Finalists are just a few of the shining stars in our school system influenced by great teachers and staff, and they light the way for others to take advantage of learning opportunities available in our schools.”

In addition to their PSAT scores, finalists also were selected based on written essays, overall academic performance and recommendation letters.

Echoing the traits held by many of the finalists, Erica Hitchox, the International Baccalaureate coordinator at Ooltewah High School described Ooltewah’s finalist Phillip Dyer as a “Renaissance man” in her recommendation letter.

“Phillip is incredibly intellectual and has an unprecedented thirst for knowledge. He values learning, gaining different perspectives and challenging his own knowledge. He is very earnest in his efforts, compassionate toward his fellow man and shows maturity and responsibility beyond his years,” Hitchcox wrote.

The district’s finalists are:

Joseph Azevedo, a senior at East Hamilton High School; he plans on studying and pursuing a career in computer science

Tamjeed Azad, a senior at Signal Mountain High School; he plans on studying biomedical engineering at a large research university

Elias Basler, a senior at Chattanooga STEM School, who aspires to be a computer programmer

Phillip Dyer, a senior at Ooltewah High; he plans to pursue a career in mechanical engineering

Joshua Lagria, a senior at East Hamilton High School, who also plans to study mechanical engineering

Zoe Zimmerman, a senior at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences, who wants to pursue a career in the medical field

Annika Lee is an early graduate of Hamilton County Collegiate High at Chattanooga State, who is currently enrolled as a freshman at Southern Adventist University