BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Two Martin County High School seniors have been named finalists in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. Colin Horn and Bobby Hale III are among the top 1 percent of seniors nationwide to receive the honor. The two were Kiwanis Club special guests Thursday at the Shufflin Café.
Horn and Hale, also governor’s scholars, are at the top of their class. Hale is a wrestler and football player, while Horn is a baseball player and academic team captain.
“Today, we stand tall,” Horn said. “We’ve got it all here. When you guys look toward the mountain, toward the horizon, you see the tip. But really what is below that? There’s the whole rest of the mountain. What is that? That’s community support from you guys.
“We’re getting ready to graduate and go to college, but these things didn’t just happen,” he added. “You guys have invested in us, and we have taken that investment. I pray that we have made that worth it for you guys. Keep investing in us – not just us but the kids below us. And hopefully, someday, we’ll have kids of our own, and you guys will invest in them.”
Horn, the son of Jimmy and Mary Lynn Horn, plans to attend the University of Kentucky and major in mechanical engineering.
“Hopefully, I’ll get a master’s in business administration after that,” said Horn. “Right now, it looks like I’d like to start my own business.”
Hale said he would never have known about the National Merit Program without the guidance counselor.
“I didn’t want to think of the PSAT, but I kind of got forced into that,” Hale said. “It’s a good thing that it happened.”
Hale, the son of Bobby and Susan Hale, plans to attend Eastern Kentucky University after graduation.
“I’m not 100 percent sure what I will major in,” he said.
When asked what made the difference for these two seniors, Hale said both had taken their education seriously.
“We’re naturally pretty smart guys,” said Hale.
Horn said the two of them saw their opportunity and would not miss it.
MCHS guidance counselor Michelle Harless explained that the National Merit Scholarship process started during the students’ junior year when their high score on the PSAT qualified them. They received word in September 2021 that they were among 16,000 students who qualified as semifinalists. In February, Horn and Hale learned that they were among 7,500 semifinalists who moved on to finalist standing.
“In 20 years at the high school, these are our first national merit finalists — since I’ve been there,” Harless said. “So we’re pretty proud of them.”
According to Harless, the two seniors were selected as finalists based on strong applications, ACT scores, essays, teacher recommendations, outstanding academic records and community service.
“You have to be strong in math,” said Harless. “The math is what knocks a lot of our kids out, but these two boys are not weak in math.”
Kiwanis president Melissa Fannin Phelps said both boys have been active with Kiwanis, helping during festivals and other events and their church.
“They’re just outstanding young men,” Phelps said. “I knew they were going to be great, but I didn’t know they would be National Merit scholars.”
National Merit finalists compete for $2,500 single-payment scholarships awarded on a state-representational basis and corporate- and college-sponsored scholarship awards.