MOUNDS, Ill. -- Three students at Meridian High School have been named Illinois State Scholars.

Matthew Bell, Evelyn Blanchard and Melissa Wood earned the award.

About 10 percent of Illinois' high school seniors are designated State Scholars and receive certificates of achievement.

To enter the competition, high school students must take the ACT or SAT examination between Sept. 1 and June 30 of their junior year in high school.

Generally, selection is based on a combination of test scores and class rank at the end of the junior year.