One Georgetown Visitation student, two School Without Walls students and one Georgetown Day student were among 22 D.C. high school students named National Achievement semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program, initiated in 1964, seeks to
recognize "academically promising black students throughout the nation and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding program participants," according to a press release. 

Semifinalists are eligible to compete for approximately 800 National Achievement Scholarship awards worth $2.5 million, to be awarded in spring 2013.

Area semifinalists:

Georgetown Day School

Niya C. Avery

Georgetown Visitation
Tonia O. Ogundipe

Gonzaga College H.S.
Devin C. Hentz

Maret School
Karl A. Reid
John S. Wilson

National Cathedral School
Mikayla L. Harris
Julia Haywood
Araba Koomson
Olutola A. Ogunrinde

School Without Walls
Desahn H. Despertt
Kelsea C. Johnson

Sidwell Friends School
Eliot K. Faust
Destiny J. Franklin
Phillip J. McGloin
Elizabeth M. Smith

St. Albans School
Ian A. Batts
Reed K. Srere

St. Anselm's Abbey School
Cameron I. Johnson
Maurin K. Mwombela

St. John's College H.S.
Kristiana Jordan
Corinne A. Paul

Washington International School
Yonathan Dawit