MADISON – Benjamin G. ‘Ben’ Miller of James Clemens High School has been selected as a National Merit Commended Student.

(CONTRIBUTED)

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation in Evanston, Ill. names commended students for exceptional academic promise. These students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students completing the 2012 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

“The top scorers on the PSAT in their junior year earn the title of National Merit Semifinalist and can potentially become a National Merit Finalist if they score comparatively well on the SAT in their senior year,” Miller said. “I didn’t quite earn National Merit Semifinalist, but I was very close.”

Miller scored 34, close to a perfect score of 36, on the ACT.

A James Clemens senior, Miller is dedicated to his membership in the Jets Band. He is a trombonist. “(I have) a leadership role within the marching band. My whole family is musically inclined,” he said.

His parents, Terry and Paige Miller, and he also share an interest in the computer science field. Ben has completed computer programming courses, such as C++ programming.

Ben said the commendation is his “first legitimate award” but his “dresser drawer is filled with college mail that has been arriving almost daily since I took the PSAT as a sophomore.”

He volunteers for community service with his church’s youth group. “I spend a few hours each month helping out at Asbury Community Thrift Store, as well as playing Bingo with residents of the Madison Village and Morningside assisted-living homes,” Ben said.

He plans to attend Mississippi State University. “Assuming I go there, I will be a fourth-generation Bulldog, as my great-grandfather attended MSU nearly 100 years ago,” Ben said. “My current plan is to major in computer science, although I hope to more specifically become a video game designer.”

In his spare time, Ben enjoys reading and playing his trombone. He participates in the eSports League at James Clemens. He plays video games both casually and as part of his hobby of uploading footage from gaming to YouTube.