PEACHTREE CITY, GA — September 25, 2012 — Dr. Linda Curtis, Senior Civilian and Deputy Director for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) and Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS)-Cuba, learned today that Fort Campbell High School senior Jordan Gibbs-Francis has been named a semifinalist in the 2013 National Achievement Scholarship Program.

Jordan is the son of 1st Sgt. Alistair and Theresa Gibbs-Francis, Fort Campbell, Ky. He is one of more than 1,600 Black American high school seniors who have been designated semifinalists in the 49th annual National Achievement Scholarship Program and announced today by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) officials. These scholastically-talented young men and women now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 800 Achievement Scholarship® awards worth more than $2.5 million that will be offered next spring.   

To be considered for a National Achievement Scholarship, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 80 percent of semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win an Achievement Scholarship award.   

The National Achievement Scholarship Program, conducted by NMSC, is a privately financed academic competition that operates without government assistance. It was initiated in 1964 to recognize academically promising black students throughout the nation and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding program participants. To date, over 31,900 young men and women have received Achievement Scholarship awards worth more than $100 million.