Jackson student named semifinalist for National Merit Scholarship

When Sadie Middleton, a senior at Jackson High School, got called to the principal's office, she thought she must have done something wrong, but had no idea what, she said

"I was a little nervous walking in," Middleton said. "Principal (Seth) Harrell held up a sheet of paper and asked, 'Do you know what this is?'"

Middleton said Harrell's face was very serious when he handed her the paper, but when she flipped it over and read the first few lines he broke into a smile and congratulated her. The letter was from the National Merit Scholarship Corp. announcing Middleton had been named a semifinalist for the award.

"I had completely forgotten about it," Middleton said. "It had been so long since I took the test, so when I walked into his office it wasn't on my mind at all."

She said it was a good moment and her parents were very excited for her.

One of the next steps toward qualifying as a finalist is writing an essay about a person who has influenced her. Middleton said she will write her essay about Jenny Moyers, her elementary school counselor.

"I had anxiety when I was younger and she helped me recognize and control some of those anxiety responses," Middleton said. "She taught me some breathing exercises that helped me calm down and get my thoughts back under control."

Winning a merit scholarship helps to open a lot of doors when choosing a college as well as career opportunities. Middleton said she hasn't decided which school she wants to attend, but her first option is Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and a second option is Washington University in St. Louis.

"I plan to major in linguistics and minor in music, but I am considering adding a second major in political science and going into international affairs or foreign policy," Middleton said.

She said she imagines working for the U.S. Department of State or in some other governmental capacity. Middleton said she has studied French in high school and, in college, will continue taking foreign language classes in Spanish and German, and she is also thinking of learning Mandarin or some other Asian language.

Middleton is involved in her school's Cultural Connection club, which focuses on the humanities, reading books and plays, and watching movies from other cultures. She is also on the cross-country team and vice president of the Jackson High School chapter of the National Honor Society.