Trinity Christian Academy (TCA) seniors Nathan Holden and Will Traweek were recently announced as 2017 National Merit Finalists. The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes academically gifted high school students who scored highest in the Preliminary SAT and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

Of the approximate 1.6 million entrants, about 15,000 meet the requirements to advance to the finalist level. All Merit Scholar designees are chosen based on their academic records and abilities, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity or religious views.

The 2017 National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced beginning April until July.

This year, four seniors from Trinity Christian Academy (TCA), JB Bowman, Kenny Nelson, Peyton Stone and Cole Yeatts signed national letters of intent to compete at well-regarded universities, beginning in the fall of 2017.
 

Bowman, offensive tackle and offensive guard on the varsity football team at TCA, signed a letter of intent to play football at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK.

Nelson, tight end on the varsity football team at TCA, signed a letter of intent to play football at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. He was named the Tight End MVP at the 2016 Dallas Opening Regional.

Stone, a member of the varsity swim team at TCA, signed a letter of intent to swim at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, AR.

Yeatts, kicker on the varsity football team at TCA, signed a letter of intent to play football at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX.

This year, three seniors from Trinity Christian Academy (TCA), Berklie Baker, Macy Holliday and Justin Thompson will sign national letters of intent to compete at well-regarded universities, beginning in the fall of 2017.

Baker, libero and defensive specialist on the varsity volleyball team at TCA, will sign a letter of intent to play volleyball at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Baker was named TAPPS defensive player of the year, All-District First Team, All-State First Team and All-State Tournament First Team for 2015-16.

Holliday, girls golf team member at TCA, will sign a letter of intent to play golf at The University of Mississippi. TAPPS named Holliday Academic All-State First Team and Class 5A All-State First Team for 2015-16.

Thompson, boys golf team member at TCA, will sign on to play golf at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Thompson, a two-time cancer survivor, made the Morning Drive Honor Roll and won the Byron Nelson Award by the North Texas PGA in 2015. He was the first junior golfer to be awarded the Byron Nelson Award in the NTPGA history. Justin was also All-State and Academic All-State for 2015-16. 

Preston Hollow sisters and students at Trinity Christian Academy (TCA) in Addison, Peyton and Carsen Prideaux, won second and third place, respectively, at the 2016 Creative Arts Competition at the State Fair of Texas. Peyton, currently an 8^th grader at TCA, entered the junior’s division in the category of polymer clay and won second place. Carsen, currently a 3^rd grader at TCA, entered in the children’s collage division and won third place.

Peyton entered a piece she created in her 2D/3D art class last year under the direction of Jimmie Hudson, upper school and middle school visual arts teacher and TCA art gallery curator. Peyton’s winning piece was a bento box which contained strawberries, sushi, pasta and a cookie.

Carsen entered a piece she created in art class under the direction of Tiffany Mutlu, lower school visual arts teacher at TCA, while she was in second grade.  Carsen’s winning piece was a felt collage depicting the three wise men. Her creation not only won third place at the 2016 Creative Arts Competition, but will also be featured on TCA’s 2016 Christmas card.

This year, Trinity Christian Academy (TCA) seniors, David Carstens, Chipper Daniels, Travis Josephs, Morgan Ku and Mary Ashley Samuelson, were named 2016 National Merit Commended Students; Isabella Jackson was honored in the National Hispanic Recognition Program; and Nathan Holden and Will Traweek were named semi-finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Last year, 1.6 million students in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT.  The students were judged on a variety of information including a personal essay, letters of recommendation, their academic record and their PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test scores. More than 34,000 commended students throughout the nation are recognized for their exceptional academic promise; students honored in the National Hispanic Recognition Program have scored in the top 2.5 percent among all Hispanic and Latino test-takers in the region; and 16,000 semi-finalists included are the highest scoring entrants in each state.