Alma Wallace has been named a Finalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. This prestigious honor recognizes Alma as one of the most academically talented high school seniors in the country. To reach this stage, Alma advanced from a pool of 16,000 Semifinalists by maintaining a record of academic performance that is consistently very high throughout grades 9 through 12 and meeting all other rigorous requirements for Finalist standing.

Beyond this national recognition, Alma is a cornerstone of the Deering High School community, excelling across a remarkably broad range of disciplines:

• Academic Leadership: A member of the National Honor Society, Alma was inducted into the William E. Wing Chapter in May 2025 for her excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
• Scientific Achievement: As a key contributor to the Science Olympiad team, she earned multiple Silver Medals at the 2025 state competition in events including Dynamic Planet, Electric Vehicle, and Experimental Design.
• Civic Engagement & Debate: Alma is a standout in Youth & Government, debating bills at the State House in Augusta, and she recently claimed first place in the Varsity Public Forum Debate at the Nutcracker Holiday Tournament.
• The Arts: A talented writer and performer, Alma has won awards for her poetry and short stories through the Breccia Club and is an active member of the Deering Players theater group. 

As a Finalist, Alma is now among a group of more than 15,000 students nationwide being considered for some 6,870 Merit Scholarship® awards. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) will begin notifying scholarship winners by email throughout March. We congratulate Alma on these vast accomplishments and are proud to present her with a Certificate of Merit in recognition of her hard work.