Jamee Eslicker from The Brook Hill School is a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program honors. Pictured are (l to r) Shawn Rhoads (secondary principal), Heidi Eslicker (her mother), Connie Russell (academic counselor), Jamee Eslicker and Mark Eslicker (her father). -(Photo Courtesy of Linda Seronello) The Brook Hill School had three students from the Class of 2010 as Commended Scholars in the National Merit Scholarship Program, including Megan Troxell, Kyle Tabler and Jamee Eslicker.

In September 2009, about 16,000 students, representing the highest scoring entrants in each state, were notified that they had qualified as Semifinalists. Named as a semifinalist, Eslicker scored in the top 521 scores in the state of Texas. In February, about 15,000 semifinalists were notified that they had advanced to finalist standing.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the PSAT during the fall of their junior year. Of the 1.5 million entrants, some 50,000 with the highest scores qualify for recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

In late September, about 34,000 high scorers received Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.

Since the first graduating class of The Brook Hill School in 2002, and among only 206 Brook Hill graduates, the school has recognized one National Hispanic Scholar, five Commended Scholars, two semifinalists and, until now, one finalist.

Of the 1.5 million students who initially entered the competition by taking the PSAT in the fall of 2008, Eslicker is among the top 1 percent being recognized for their exceptional performance.