Two students from Trinity High School in Camp Hill are the Diocesan high school finalists in this year’s National Merit Scholarship Program.
Lucy Cooper-Silvis and Olivia Maddux have earned finalist status in the prestigious program, an annual academic competition for high school students to receive recognition and college scholarships.
Nearly 1.5 million students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program each year. To become a finalist, a student must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. The student must also complete an application and essay detailing their participation and leadership in school and community activities.
An extremely talented, dedicated and creative student, Lucy Cooper-Silvis entered the second semester of her senior year at Trinity High School at the top of her class with a weighted GPA of 4.77 on a 4.0 scale. To date, she has passed six different Advanced Placement Examinations administered by the College Board. She possesses a mature mind, a positive disposition, and a genuine thirst to know and to investigate any academic topic. She routinely “risks” excellent questions in class, and her peers learn more because she is in the room.
Lucy is waiting for the last round of college admissions this spring before deciding on a college. However, she is certain to major in a program devoted to English and creative writing. For two years, she has led Trinity’s Writers Club, and she regularly crafts pieces that are sent off to literary journals and writing competitions hosted across the United States. Toward that end, Lucy participated for two summers in writing programs through the University of Iowa. In 2018, she joined the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, and in 2019, she completed the Iowa Young Writers’ Online Creative Writing Course. Lucy also participates in Trinity’s Great Books Program, and she finished a formal study of The Karamazov Brothers by Fyodor Dostoevsky in the summer of 2020.
Because of her superior academic and extracurricular record, Lucy has earned membership in the Saint John Neumann Chapter of the National Honor Society, as well as in Mu Alpha Theta (National Math Honor Society) and in the Société Honoraire de Francais (French Language Honor Society).
Lucy and her family are parishioners at St. Patrick Parish in Carlisle.
A consummate student-athlete, Olivia Maddux has excelled in both the classroom and on the golf course during her four years at Trinity High School. Carrying a weighted GPA of 4.70 on a 4.0 scale into her final semester, Olivia takes the most challenging courses that Trinity offers. She has passed four of the College Board’s Advanced Placement examinations heading into her senior year. Olivia has also completed a formal study of Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky as part of Trinity’s Great Books Program. She plans to major in chemistry in college, and she is awaiting the spring round of college admissions before making a final decision on a school.
Olivia combines academic excellence with excellence in varsity golf. A three-time qualifier for the PIAA State Tournament, Olivia served as a captain of Trinity’s varsity team in the fall of 2020. She also uses her talents to help young golfers as an LPGA Girls Golf Volunteer.
Olivia offers a tremendous example of service to her school as a Mentor Group Leader in the House System. Cutting across both gender and grade levels, mentor groups serve as the heart of this student-led effort. Averaging about 17 students in each group, mentor groups meet each day for activities and discussion devoted to all aspects of a healthy high school life. As a Mentor Group Leader, Olivia prepares and facilitates the daily activities critical to her group’s success.
Based on her academic, extracurricular, and service record, Olivia has earned membership in the Saint John Neumann Chapter of the National Honor Society, as well as in Mu Alpha Theta (National Math Honor Society) and in the National Spanish Honor Society.
Olivia and her family are parishioners at St. Patrick Parish in Carlisle.
