Five Natrona County high school seniors have been named semifinalists for the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Briona Ellwood, Ian Gibson, Collin Rudkin, Gloria Wickman and Aaron Wulf all qualified as semifinalists after taking the 2007 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Ellwood and Rudkin attend Kelly Walsh High School. Gibson, Wickman and Wulf attend Natrona County High School.

More than 1.5 million high school juniors took the PSAT/NMSQT last year, and approximately 16,000 were named semifinalists. A total of 30 Wyoming students qualified to be semifinalists.

"It's hats off to our teachers and our staff for helping these wonderful students attain at that high of a level," said Dean Kelley, principal of Natrona County High School.

To become a finalist for one of the program's $2,500 scholarships, students must have an outstanding academic record, be endorsed and recommended by a high school principal and earn appropriate SAT scores. Students also submit a detailed application which includes an essay about themselves and their participation in school and community activities.

Gibson said earning the title of semifinalist is a nice recognition for all the hard work he's put into his academics.

"It's definitely an accomplishment," Gibson said. "It's neat to be recognized for it."

Wulf said being a semifinalist is the result of hard work and sometimes taking the classes other students fear are much to difficult.

"I feel like if I'm not going to get the good grades and challenge myself while I'm getting a free education, what's the point?" he said.

Wickman agreed, adding that sometimes a student just has to put in the extra effort to succeed.

"You definitely want to get all you can out of your education," she said.

National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in the spring.

Reach education reporter Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at Jasa.Santos@trib.com