Senior at Cibola HS a ‘National Merit Scholarship’ semifinalist

Mohamed Abdella is a senior at Cibola High School who was named a semifinalist in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Corporation competition.

Abdella is one of more than 16,000 semifinalists in the 64th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

“I am honored to receive the opportunity to compete for this scholarship, and I’m especially grateful towards the Cibola Administration and staff that made it all possible for me,” Abdella said. “Receiving the Merit Scholar title and being recognized on a national level would confirm that both they’re, and my, hard work has paid off.”

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. More than 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.

Abdella is actively involved in numerous activities on Cibola’s campus, including Academic Decathlon, INTERACT Club, National Honors Society, Gifted and Talented Education, and track and field and tennis.

Ranking number one in the senior class because of his grade point average, Abdella has enrolled in five postsecondary education courses while still in high school.

One of his future goals is to earn a degree in the medical field.