Chelsie Coren and Omar Joya, both Wheeling residents and seniors at Wheeling High School, were selected as 2012-13 National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) Scholars this fall for their outstanding academic accomplishments. Joya was also named a Commended Scholar in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP), one of the most esteemed scholastic competitions in the nation.
Each year the NHRP identifies nearly 5,000 outstanding Hispanic/Latino students as NHRP Scholars. Eligible students must take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in October of their junior year, be of at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino descent, achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher by the end of their junior year and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Although the NHRP does not provide a financial reward, being named is an important academic recognition. The program sends a list of all recognized students to subscribing colleges and universities that are particularly interested in academically outstanding seniors of Hispanic/Latino heritage.
