A Hillcrest Academy student is one step away from becoming a National Merit Scholarship recipient. Jesse Slater was selected as one of 15,000 finalists for the National Merit Scholarship. To be eligible for this award, entrants had to take the PSAT, or the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, no later than their third year of high school, attend a high school in the United States, and be on course to graduate with plans to accept admission to college the following year. Out of the 15,000 finalists, only 7,500 will be selected as scholarship winners. Scholarship offers will be mailed out to the winners in March.