Americas High School senior, Gabriel Mendoza, has been named as a Scholar in the 2007 competition for the National Merit Scholarship program.  Mendoza and Americas High School Principal Mary Ross were notified Mendoza moved up to Finalist in February 2007. Mendoza had been named a Semi-finalist last fall.

Approximately 15,000 Semifinalists advance to the Finalist level and approximately half of the Finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the Merit Scholar title.  Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

These students must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier qualifying test performance. In addition, the student and a school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s essay and information about their participation and leadership in school and community activities.

Mendoza is also among the 300 seniors nationwide to be named as semifinalists of the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) 2007, America's oldest and most prestigious science competition. The Americas senior has been participating in science fairs and scientific research since elementary school at Horizon Heights.

Mendoza is the 9th student from Socorro ISD to be named a National Merit Scholar.  Previous scholar and achievement award recipients include: Jose Luis Espinoza from Americas High School, Angela Flinn, France Whittenberger, Rachel Block and Amanda Lightfoot from Montwood High School and Jeremy Stell-Smith, Donna Hughes and Jackie Gurany from Socorro High School.