LAPEER, Michigan — Aubrey Bourret, one of the top students in Lapeer, is now recognized among elite students nationally. The Lapeer High School senior has been named a National Merit Finalist.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test — a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year—and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.

Of that initial group of entrants, only 15,000 become finalists. That puts Bourret in the top one percent of all the highest-achievers in 22,000 high schools across the country.

“When I found out I did well enough (on the test) to be a semifinalist, I decided keep going,” said Bourret, who currently holds a 4.0 (+) grade point average.

Lapeer High School Chief Academic Officer, Doug Lindsay, said it’s hard to overstate achievements like this one.

“She’s quiet and unassuming, but this achievement speaks volumes about the type of student she is,” he said. “She’s really impressive.”

As she moves on to college, she leaves behind a mark for other enterprising students to shoot for.

Speaking of college, Bourret’s search was quick and easy thanks to a short list of one: Brigham Young University. Bourret is a Mormon, very active in her church, and will following in the footsteps of her mother, Elaine, a BYU alumnus.

“My mom has always been pushing me, helping me and encouraging me throughout my life,” she said.

Bourret is undecided on a major but she’s been thinking about genealogy and archaeology, with a component of business mixed in. She became interested in genealogy when she helped a friend who was working on an Eagle Scout project. She has since started digging into her own family’s history.

“I think it’s fascinating,” she said. “I’ve looked at a lot of what my grandmother has collected.”

Bourret was homeschooled early on in her academic career before coming to Lapeer East High School as a freshman in 2011. She has taken full advantage of many of the advanced options available to Lapeer High School students and garnered many new friends since the merger.

“It has been a really good experience here,” she said. “I’ve met some of my best friends this year (because of the merger), and I wouldn’t have met them otherwise.”

On behalf of Lapeer Community Schools and the entire community, congratulations to Aubrey Bourret, parents Matthew and Elaine, and everyone who has supported her on this journey. We are confident she will do great things!