MHS Senior Joshua Yee a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist

Know a student or group of students who should be recognized? Scroll down for instructions on submitting a nomination.

Melrose Patch Whiz Kid of the Week

• Joshua Yee
  
• , senior
  
• Accomplishment: Semifinalist in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Yee is one of 16,000 semifinalists across the nation who will continue in the competition for some 8,300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $34 million that will be offered next spring.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarships award, semifinalists—who are the highest scoring entrants in each state on the PSAT exam—must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship.

Originally from East Northport, NY, Yee moved to Melrose with his mother Jennifer Yee and father Dr. Gene Yee. Below is a portion of a letter submitted by Yee to Melrose Patch:

My interests include music, both listening to some of the more modern varieties and playing both classical and modern pieces.  I play the viola with the Melrose High School Orchestra, and while I’m not particularly gifted in that area, I find the act of creating music with others very enjoyable.  I also play guitar recreationally, although not so often in recent years.

In terms of athletics, I enjoy tennis and basketball on a recreational level (although honestly, I’m pretty bad at both, but my family’s about the same).  The only sport I do competitively is swimming.  I’m currently a co-swim captain of the Melrose High School swim team (along with Richard Brach, an overall great swimmer, student, and person).  I swim backstroke and freestyle, although I prefer backstroke.  Although our team does not win a lot of meets, we have a lot of fun with the whole thing.

Although I do not have much spare time, I enjoy reading the works of L.E. Modesitt Jr. and watching The Office, House and Dr. Who. I also love hanging out with my greyhound Awa, who is at different times astoundingly energetic and extremely lethargic.  My favorite subject in school is math of (almost) any sort, with French in a close second.

Over the course of my career in school, I’ve received a few awards.  The first major one was the Middlesex League’s SILS award, which is given to one boy and girl in each of the ten Middlesex League schools (the other student in MHS was Emily Conn).  It is awarded to students who exemplify service, integrity, leadership, and spirit (SILS).  After that came the induction into the National Honor Society.  The most recent award that I achieved was the Yale University Book Award, which is awarded to students with “intellectual promise and strength of character.”

After college, I hope to become a professor of mathematics at a university somewhere, although I would be perfectly happy to teach younger students (although probably not lower than grade 6).  I would love to have a family some day, although I would want to be sure that I had a steady job to provide for it, and I would probably choose to live near or in Melrose, and other than those three things I do not have any particular hopes and dreams for the future.

We need nominations!

Each week, Melrose Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid.  Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to danield@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information:

• Nominator's Name
• Nominator's E-Mail
• Whiz Kid's Name
• Whiz Kid's Age
• Whiz Kid's School
• Whiz Kid's Accomplishment
• An explanation of the accomplishment (approximately 150-300 words).
• A photo, if available.