Redmond High School student Zachary S. Leytus has been announced as one of 1,600 semifinalists in the 2011 National Achievement Scholarship Program today.

Another semifinalist from the Lake Washington School District is Cameron L. Boucaud from the International Community School in Kirkland.

The scholastically talented Black American high school seniors who have been designated as semifinalists are competing for approximately 800 Achievement Scholarship awards, worth more than $2.5 million, to be offered next spring.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program, conducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation, is a privately financed academic competition that operates without government assistance. It was initiated in 1964 to recognize academically promising black students throughout the nation and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding program participants.

To date, more than 30,300 young men and women have received Achievement Scholarship awards more than $96 million.

To advance to the finalist level of the competition, semifinalists must present a record of high academic performance throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, write an essay and earn SAT scores that confirm the PSAT/NMSQT performance .

Also, the semifinalist and a high school official must complete a detailed scholarship application in which they provide information about the student’s participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities and educational goals.

NMSC will release the names of the scholarship awards to news media in early April.