Ebony's Academic Dream Team: high school superscholars have the right stuff

Leila Merriweather (above right) attended Cincinnati's Walnut Hills High School. She was a member of the National French Honor Society and the National Cum Laude Society. The vice president of a National Society of Black Engineers junior chapter will study engineering at Florida A&M University.

Kanecia Jacquelyn Allen (right), valedictorian in a class of 458 at Miami Central Senior High School and an All-American Scholar, has won a variety of awards, including the National English Award, National Science Merit Award and U.S. National Mathematics Award. The National Honor Society president will attend the University of Miami.

Courtney Blackwell (above), salutatorian of Houston's Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, is a National Achievement Scholar and is listed in Who's Who Among American High School Students. While in school, she performed for elementary, schools as part of the Young Audiences Dance Ensemble and mentored students. Blackwell, who was director's assistant for the school dance company, will major in performing arts at The Julliard School.

Leah Hodge (above) is a Ron Brown and National Merit Scholarship finalist. She ranked in the top percentile of the senior class at Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville, Fla. Hodge was president of the McKnight Achievers Society and vice president of the Latin Club. She will major in finance at the University of Pennsylvania.

James Jason Greenwood (above), valedictorian of Cleveland's John F. Kennedy High School and a high honor-roll student, won the 1997 Black Aspirations Leaders' tip Award. He participated in Students Against Drunk Driving and tutored his peers. He helped organize a local food and clothing drive. Greenwood will attend Kenyon College.

Named student of the year, Arita Amponsah (left) was valedictorian at Malcolm X Shabazz High School in Newark, N.J. She's an All-American Scholar who was a member of student government, a church youth group and the yearbook staff. Amponsah, who plans to become an auditor, will attend Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

Azaria Muluneh Azene (right) maintained a 4.29 GPA at Scotlandville Magnet High School in Baton Rouge, La. The National Achievement Scholarship finalist won an Exxon Math and Science Award and was a member of the National Honor Society. Along with participating in school organizations such as the Science Olympiad, Azene was co-captain of the soccer team and played intramural sports. He will attend Tulane University to study chemical engineering.

Dante Johnson (above) was valedictorian of George Washington Crower High School of Engineering and Science in Philadelphia. Along with being listed in Who's' Who Among American High School Students, Johnson is a Macy's Scholar and is the recipient of a Xerox Humanities and Social Science Award. He was vice president of the senior class and a youth missionary, at his church. Johnson will study aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland.

Stephanie Pope (above), a straight-A graduate of Western High School in Baltimore, is a National Achievement Scholarship finalist and winner of a Macy's Minorities in Medicine Award. Along with writing fin. the school newspaper and playing intramural volleyball, she worked as a hospital volunteer and tutored elementary school students. She will attend Princeton.