Staff reports



An Enid student attending Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics recently garnered several prestigious awards and opportunities.

Alexandria “Katie” Maurer was named National Merit Scholarship finalist and received a $1,500-per-year scholarship from Computer Science Services.

Maurer also was named a Fleming Scholar by Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and a semifinalist in the 2007 Presidential Scholars Program.

Maurer is the daughter of Greg and Angie Maurer of Enid.

Maurer will join a dozen other Oklahoma high school and college students as participants in the OMRF’s summer program. The 12 students were chosen from approximately 100 students and will spend eight weeks working with senior scientists at OMRF in Oklahoma City.

“Eight weeks literally can change a life or, in this case, a dozen lives,” said OMRF President Stephen M. Prescott, M.D. “Topics that were once mind-boggling become comprehensible. Challenges are overcome, and friendships are forged.”

Since 1956, more than 400 gifted Oklahoma science students have taken advantage of this one-of-a-kind program to complete a medical research project in a real-world laboratory. More than 100 have gone on to become physicians and scientists, including three current members of OMRF’s scientific staff: Rodger McEver, M.D.; Judith James, M.D. Ph.D.; and Andrea Sestak, M.D., Ph.D.

For most, the program offers a first look at research outside a classroom and opens doors to a wide range of career options. Scholarships include housing and a $3,000 stipend.

Maurer also was named one of approximately 550 semifinalists in the 2007 Presidential Scholars Program. The semifinalists were selected from more than 2,700 candidates on the basis of superior achievements, leadership qualities, personal character and involvement in community and school activities.

Final selection of the scholars will be made by Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of prominent citizens appointed by the president, and will be announced later this month. The commission will select one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. students living abroad; up to 20 students representing the visual, literary and performing arts; and 15 students at-large.

Scholars will be invited to Washington, D.C., for several days in the second half of June to receive the Presidential Scholars medallion at a recognition ceremony and to participate in various activities and events held in their honor.

The 508 semifinalists in the program’s academic component initially were selected as candidates for their exceptional performance on either the College Board SAT or the ACT Assessment. For the arts component of the program, 41 additional semifinalists were nominated by National Foundation for Advancement of the Arts, which annually conducts a competitive, national talent search of over 6,500 young artists in a wide range of disciplines.

Semifinalists were chosen by a panel of distinguished educators after a review of students’ essays, self-assessments, descriptions of activities, school recommendations and school transcripts.