The scholarship program, which recognizes outstanding African-American high school students, will award $2.6 million in college funds this year.

More than 150,000 students entered the scholarship competition when they took the 2007 Preliminary SAT as high school juniors. Of those, 1,600 were named as semi-finalists in September. The finalists were then selected based on their academic record, the recommendation of school officials and a personal essay.

Nationwide, 800 students were awarded National Achievement, which typically provide a one-time $2,500 payment toward academic costs.

Regional winners are:

— Nicole K. Carter, John Burroughs School

— Symone J. Johnson, Lutheran North High

— Naima E. Ross, Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, National Achievement $2,500 scholarship.

— Rebecca R. Schloemann, Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, National Achievement $2,500 scholarship.

— Jacob M. Marshall, O'Fallon Township High

— Ugwem I. Eneyo, Edwardsville High

— Chelsea A. Matthews, Mascoutah High

MEHLVILLE SCHOOLS > All are certified as Red Cross Ready — The Mehlville School District became the first in the region to have all of its schools certified as Red Cross Ready Rating members. This means every school is preparing for emergency situations, such as dangerous weather to pandemic illness, based on Red Cross criteria.

The district has had crisis plans in place, but with the Ready Rating Program, the plan includes more parental involvement at school and home, the district says.

The free service is open to any business, group or school. Schools that join earn a yearly $300 safety stipend to help with emergency planning. For more information about the Red Cross Ready Rating Program, visit readyrating.redcrossstl.org.

KIRKWOOD SCHOOLS > First Amendment Press Award winner — Kirkwood High School has been announced as a First Amendment Press Freedom Award winner for 2009. KHS is among three high schools nationwide to receive this award, sponsored by the Journalism Education Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Quill and Scroll Society.

The award is given each year to recognize high schools that support and honor the First Amendment through student media. Journalism teacher Mitch Eden will accept the award on behalf of KHS at the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention this month.

SCIENCE EDUCATION > 3 area students are among winners in scientific research competition — The University of Missouri-St. Louis recently announced the winners of the 2009 Missouri Regional Junior Science, Engineering and Humanities Symposium's scientific research competition. The three-day symposium was held at the university. Three St. Louis area students were among the winners.

Winning second place in the behavior/education category is Daniel Alexander Duncan, senior, St. Charles West High School, for "Possible Variance in Scores on the Missouri Assessment Program Communication Arts Test Based on English Dialect Spoken."

Winning first place in the general biology category is Randall S. Ray II, senior, Wentzville Holt High School, for "Transforming Ipomea batatas via Direct Inoculation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes."

Winning first place in the microbiology and medicine category is Bridget Waller, senior, Cor Jesu Academy, St. Louis County, for "Cloning and Expression of a Putative Non-Specific Phospholipase C in Arabidopsis (PLC523)."