Final Copyediting Exercise

Revise the following content to reflect correct grammar, usage, syntax, and style.

National Merit Scholar Honor Given to Centerville Senior

John Smith, a Senior at Centerville High School has been named a National Merit scholar.

Smith received fulsome praise from principal, Mary Jones, who said that “All of John’s teachers agree that he is very deserving of this recognition, we’re all very happy to hear that he has been accord this honour”.

The National Merit Scholarship program is a nation-wide program recognizing the U. S.’s top High School students academically. These kids qualify if they recieve a minimal score on Preliminary SAT National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT / NMQST). Semi-finalists have scores in the top 5% of each State’s Seniors.

Algebra, Chemistry and French are the favorite classes taken by John this year, however he also excells in Language Arts and Social Studies.

Smith has been excepted to Cal for the Fall quarter. His future plans include majoring in Economics. He said he will get a Masters degree and maybe, even a PH.D.: “That would mean I would be going there from like 2023-2030 or so” but its worth it.”

“I’m really proud of John”, says his Mom Jane Smythe, “UC has a certain cache about it…I know that he will be successful there.” He praises his “work ethic,” opining that John is keeping up full classload with straight A’s which included several AP classes, works a part time job as well as volunteering for a local charities.

John is not only looking forward to studying at Cal but joining their Campus’ Undergraduate Economics Assoc. “that build up interest and comradery among economics undergrads, and to provide resources which will help you get the most out of the department’s offerings.” His friends nick name for him is “the professor”.

Agreeing that it’s an appropriate epitaph, his ambition is to “Become an Econonomist;” though he knows “that makes him sound like a nerd.”

“I can’t help it – I have always been like that.” He also wants to write a column for The Daily Cal the student paper.

Smith that he will miss Centerville, but is looking forward to going to school in Berkley. I like hiking, he adds, in the Redwood groves here, and they have Redwoods there too, so that will help keep me from becoming home sick.” He’s also exited to move to the San Francisco bay area.

2 other Centerville Union High students are also semi-finalists; James Jones (no relation) and A.J. Johnson.


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