Schools

Meet Glen Cove High's National Merit Finalist

Student Warton Du reaches last level of prestigious competition.

Glen Cove High School senior Warton Du may only be 17, but he already has a list of accomplishments longer than people twice his age. 

Not only does Du have a 101.5 percent grade point average, he also scored a 2250 out of 2400 on the SAT test and is the recipient of more than 20 academic and community awards.

And the list keeps growing.

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Du was recently named as a National Merit Scholarship finalist, making him the only student in the district to achieve such a honor.

The contest, which has been in existence since 1955, is a national academic scholarship competition for recognition and college scholarships. The program is administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a not-for-profit organization that aims to, among other things, "identify and honor academically talented U.S. high school students and stimulate increased support for their education," according to its Web site.

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After scoring a 231 out of 240 on the Preliminary SAT exam — which is also the qualifying test for the contest — during his junior year last year, Du was named as a semi-finalist in September. About 16,000 students, NMSC officials said, reach this level.

Then, school officials explained, Du had to submit essays, letters of recommendation, academic transcripts, a college résumé and other documents as part of the requirements to advance to the next level. He was named as one of 15,000 finalists last month.  

"It's an exciting feeling becoming a finalist and the teachers and staff at my school have been very supportive," Du said. "It's definitely a great feeling."

To many, Du is the best example of an all-around student. In addition to his academic excellence, he is also a member of the school's jazz band, lacrosse and track teams, and is the founder of the school's frisbee club, among other activities. The young city resident is also a graduate of the Katherine A. Deasy and Landing elementary schools and the Robert M. Finely Middle School.  

Representatives of the NMSC said starting this month until mid-June, they will be notifying 8,200 finalists that they have been chosen as a scholarship winner. The scholarships, which range from $500 to $3,000 per year, are funded by the organization and independent sponsors.

"Warton is competing against the best of the best in this program because this is a nationwide contest and his accomplishment is very impressive," said Salvatore Bellafiore, the district's guidance chairperson. "Warton is a well-respected student at this school and he's a hardworking individual who, I know will be at the top of his field years from now without a doubt."

As for his future plans, Du said he wants to attend Harvard University in the fall to study business. He is also looking forward to ending his high school career by making more memories with his friends and teachers. 

"I really came out of my shell in high school because there are a lot of activities to participate in here and that helped me a lot," Du said. "This is a really diverse school with a great group of students and teachers, and I'm just looking forward to finishing up my last year here."

Du's college résumé at a glance:

Academic honors

- National Merit Scholarship finalist - only finalist from Glen Cove School District, 2009

- AP Scholar with Honor Award - CollegeBoard, 2009

- Excellence in AP U.S. History - Glen Cove High School, 2009

- Principal's Honor Roll - Glen Cove High School recognition of extraordinary academic achievement, 2003-09

- All American Scholar, 2008

- Excellence in Pre-Calculus - Glen Cove High School, 2008

- International Marketing Competition Regional Winner - Distributive Educational Clubs of America, 2008

- Excellence in Math B Honors - Glen Cove High School, 2007

- Excellence in Global History I - Glen Cove High School, 2007

- Outstanding Performance in Mathematics - R.M. Finley Middle School, 2004-05

- Principal's Award - R.M. Finley Middle School recognition of excellent overall academic achievements, 2001, 2002, 2005

- NY State Award - Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, 2003-05

- President's Award - Presidential Education Awards Program for Outstanding Academic Excellence, 2002

Leadership and community services

- Vice President of High School Class of 2010, 2008-09

- Organized the Junior Prom and supervised and worked at Prom Decoration

- Organized "Chinese Auction" fundraiser for Class of 2010

- Coordinated and participated in the Junior Class "Stay-Awake-Athon"

- Deca officer- 2008-09

- Maintain and supervise a group of 20

- Organize point opportunities and supervise multiple activities per quarter

- Coordinate future events for the chapter

- Deca member- 2006-09

- Participant in Junior Diabetes Research Foundation Walk and Women's Breast Cancer Walk

- Organized and participated in a fundraiser for less fortunate families

- Mayor's award for working with seniors at the local "Intergenerational Ball"

- Deca States Competition participant

- Deca Regionals Competition winner

- Vice President of National Honor Society, 2009

- Helped organize and coordinate CPR training fundraiser program

- Organized and volunteered for peer tutoring programs

- Member of National Honor Society, 2008-09

- Event assistant for the US-China Olympic Association, 2006-08

- Helped organize events for China to host the 2008 Olympic Games

- Internship in New York State Assemblywoman Ellen Young's Office, 2008

- Coordination and scheduling of community activities

- Campaign activist for the re-election office of Assemblywoman Young

- People to People International World Leadership Forum, 2006-08

- Leadership in American Politics, Presidential Primary, California, 2008

- Comparing Cultural and Political Perspectives, London, Paris, and Belgium, 2007

- Exploring American Leadership, Washington, D.C., 2006

- In Honor of Outstanding Academic Achievement, People to People Ambassador Programs


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