Area National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
TENNESSEE› Baylor: Talus G. Iorio-Ronek› Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences: Allycia Lee› East Hamilton Middle-High School: Jared Azevedo› Girls Preparatory School: Leah Baxter, Lori Baxter, Isabella Cornea, Rebecca Torrence and Phoebe Warren› Marion County High School in Jasper: Seth Drey› McCallie School: Maclain Aslinger, Andrew Aultman, Nathaniel Little› STEM School of Chattanooga: Renee Schebler› Walker Valley High School, Cleveland: Jacob Judd› Warren County High School, McMinnville: Hayden EverettGEORGIA› Dade County High School, Trenton: Jed Henderson› Gordon Central High School, Calhoun: Gabriel DixonSource: National Merit Scholarship Program
Twin sisters Leah and Lori Baxter used to compete academically, but now say they’ve settled that sibling rivalry.
“I typically don’t do better than Leah,” Lori said, “but I’d always ask how she did on tests to see how I compared, because I took pride in that.”
Now the 17-year-old Girls Preparatory School seniors have scored an honor that levels the playing field. Both are among 17 regional high-school seniors named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists today by the National Merit Scholarship Corp.
GPS led the area with five semifinalists. In addition to the Baxter sisters, the number includes Phoebe Warren, Isabella Cornea and Rebecca Torrence.