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Wenatchee

Chris Danko Named as National Merit Scholar Semifinalist

Senior Chris Danko has been named a 2018 National Merit Scholarship semifinalist. Chris is one of only two students in Central Washington achieved the semifinalist designation. Each of the 16,000 semifinalist chosen across the nation is an academically talented high school senior who now has an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring. Chris’s activities at Wenatchee High include Apple Leaf, Mock Trial, Debate, DECA, Knowledge Bowl and Model UN.

We asked Chris some questions about his extraordinary achievement. Here’s what he had to say.

Q. What does it mean to you to be named a National Merit Scholar semifinalist?

Chris: Being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist is an incredible honor to me. A lot of hard work and preparation went into my final PSAT score that qualified me for the program, and I feel very fortunate to have been given the right test on the right day to demonstrate that.

Q. To what do you attribute your success?

Chris: I have been blessed with two parents that emphasized the importance of reading when I was a child, and they instilled a passion for literature in me that persists to this day. Without everything I have read, I would be a much less critical thinker. They continue to challenge me to think critically today. In addition, I have had teachers who have pushed me to grow over the years in all grades, and I certainly would not be the same person I am today without them.

Q. What high school experiences/classes/teachers have had the most meaning for you?

Chris: Entering high school as a freshman can be incredibly intimidating, and I was very lucky to have found a place for myself on the Apple Leaf early on. Writing for the newspaper cultivated my love for writing, and gave me a foothold in an imposing environment. Through the years, I developed some of my deepest friendships through Apple Leaf, and grew personally, mostly thanks to the efforts of Dave Riggs. Working with Mr. Riggs was an outstanding journalism adviser and a better friend. Whenever adversity would rear itself in my personal life, he always found the time to talk it through with me and I would walk away feeling more optimistic about things. Through Dave, I got my internship at the Wenatchee World, which led to me being a part-time sports reporter. The effects of Apple Leaf on my life are far-reaching and continue to this day.

Brandon Harle's APUSH class is another experience that has certainly defined me. Having a personal passion for history, the class meant a great deal more to me than just a class. Not only did I learn a lot of material, but Mr. Harle changed the way I think about history. In APUSH and other AP classes, I picked up time management skills that benefit me to this day as well.

Mr. Cloke's AP Language class did much to develop my personal philosophies and make me a more complete person. Through the insightful texts he provided us with, like The Allegory of the Cave and The Grapes of Wrath, the class was full of universal knowledge that applied to almost every aspect of our lives, not just reading and writing.

Then there are some teachers like Mrs. Smith, who, although I did not have any classes with her, was happy to get to know me and encourage my passion for writing. Mrs. Symonds also found time to be a positive influence on my writing and on my life in general, despite not taking her class until this year.

A collection of other Wenatchee School District teachers from Sunnyslope Elementary School and Foothills Middle School prepared me for the rigor of high school, and I look back on those years with fondness and gratitude.

Q. What are your post-high school plans?

Chris: After high school, I plan to attend a four-year university that has not been determined yet to study Public Policy as my pre-law degree.

Q. Any final thoughts?

Chris: I would just like to recognize Wenatchee High School for creating an academic environment that provides challenge and growth through classes and other students.

The National Merit Scholarship program is a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 420 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

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