Video: Pontotoc High School Senior Among 12 Locals Named National Merit Semifinalists

September 10, 2014

Allie Martin,

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PONTOTOC, Miss. (WCBI) — Whether its his classes or extracurricular activities, Jacob Ferguson is focused.

The Pontotoc High School Senior took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Qualifying Test last fall when he was a junior and he just learned he was a semifinalist.

“I was surprised, I didn’t know a lot about the competition going into it,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson takes advanced placement classes and he is also in dual enrollment classes through ICC. Ferguson says he likes to go above and beyond what is expected.

“I like to challenge myself, like to be challenged and I like to rise up to the challenge also and so I really enjoy the hard classes and I’ve done pretty well in them so far,” he said.

Alisa Bourne is a counselor at the high school and says Jacob sets a great example for all students.

“We do have a large number of students that just have that internal drive and they are very competitive, students like Jacob excel inside the classroom and outside the classroom,” Bourne said.

Jacob has attended Pontotoc city schools all his life, and credits his parents and teachers with his academic success. He has a message for younger students.

“Work your hardest and do your very best because you”re capable of a lot and shouldn’t settle for just good enough,” Ferguson said.
Jacob and other semifinalists will compete for 7,600 National Merit Scholarships that will be offered next spring.

The eleven other Northeast Mississippi students who qualified as National Merit Semifinalists are:

Nicholas Kaltchenko from Tupelo High School, Andrew Hayes, he is from Saltillo and is homeschooled.
William Anderson,David Dennis, Joohee Jo, and William Tollison, all from Oxford High School
Cecilia Heard, Carys Snyder and Melinda Xu, all from Starkville High School
Weston Colbert of Amory High School and Addison Roush of Lafayette High School.

One hundred and thirty five Mississippi students qualified as National Merit Semifinalists.