11 Mass. students win Achievement Scholarships

The National Achievement Scholarship Program announced Wednesday that 800 African American high school seniors have won Achievement Scholarship awards toward their college tuition.

The awards, totaling $2.6 million in scholarships include 11 students from Massachusetts.

Receiving scholarships of $2,500 include: Christopher H. Berg-Jones from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, Kermshlise C. Picard from Boston Latin, Nehemiah M. Loury from Brookline High, Alyssa L. Kenney from Ursuline Academy, Alexander J. Johnson from Wachusett Regional, Lauren B. Paul from Holliston High, Ethel L. Hylton from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High, Enobong N. Etteh from Natick High, Jasmine W. Reid from Milton Academy, Alex Cherenfant from Roxbury Latin, and Khalia T. Parish from Worcester academy.

These local students were honored from the 150,000 who applied nationally by taking exams last year as juniors.

The scholarships are funded by corporate grants and by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The program is a private academic competition established in 1964 specifically to honor scholastically talented Black American youths. To date, 29,500 students have received more than $93 million in scholarships.