Fort Dale Academy senior Christen McKeague is one of 16,000 students nationwide who was named a semifinalists for the 2013 National Merit Scholarship.

Approximately 1.5 million students in more than 22,000 high schools across the country participated in the program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test or the PSAT/NMSQT.

“We’re extremely proud of her and the way she represents us academically, and the way she represents us in general,” FDA headmaster David Brantley said. “Her family has been a part of our school for a long time. We’re excited for her and looking forward to the prospects of her being named a finalist, which is a very high honor.”

Each of the 16,000 students was selected from list of high-scoring entrants in each state that represents less than 1 percent of each state’s high school seniors.

If McKeague is able to move on in the program, she could be eligible for one of 8,400 National Merit Scholarships that will be offered in the spring of 2013.

“It’s good, but God gives you blessings,” McKeague said. “He blesses you with everything and this is the result of blessings. It’s not something that I particularly did.”