MADISON – Both James Clemens High School and Bob Jones High School are home to the most National Merit Semifinalists of any school in Alabama.

Bob Jones and James Clemens tied with 15 each.

Superintendent Robby Parker said National Merit scholars represent ‘the best of the best’ among all high school students across America.

“It’s amazing to think of all the high schools in Alabama, and there’s not another high school that had 15 National Merit semifinalists except Bob Jones and James Clemens,” Bob Jones Principal Sylvia Lambert said.

“There’s not a school system in Alabama that has the number of National Merit semifinalists as Madison City. It’s quite an accomplishment and we are so proud,” Lambert said.

Parker said a “cornerstone” of MCS’ success is confirming that, regardless where a student lives, the child will be zoned to a quality school. The vast majority of students from both high schools progressed from Madison elementary and middle schools, according to MCS Public Relations Manager John Peck.

Schools with the next, closest number are Auburn and Vestavia Hills high schools with 11 semifinalists.

James Clemens Principal Dr. Brian Clayton and Lambert stated the schools that Madison semifinalists attended before high school:

* Bob Jones — Justin Byers, West Madison Elementary School, Discovery Middle School; Cheng Zhou, Heritage Elementary School, Randolph School; Tony Tian, Rainbow Elementary School, Discovery; David Li, West Madison, Discovery; John Chen, Rainbow, Discovery; Jack Harbin, Rainbow, Discovery; Matthew Do, St. John the Baptist Catholic School; Angela Kinsey, Corbett Elementary School, Discovery; Cassie Volkin, Rainbow, Discovery; Aditi Limaye, Rainbow, Discovery; Christopher Adamczyk, Rainbow, Discovery; Corey Tolbert, Rainbow, Discovery; Sam Hyams, Chattanooga Christian School; Leslie Chu, Horizon Elementary School, Discovery; and Sam Ward, West Madison, Discovery.

* James Clemens — Nathan Assaf, Heritage, Liberty Middle School; Ethan Brown, Fredericksburg Christian School, Dixon Smith Middle School in Fredericksburg, Va.; Sarah Han, Heritage, Liberty; Zachary Hannon, Tabernacle Christian School in Warrior, Alabama School of the Arts in Birmingham; Joshua Kennedy, Madison Elementary School, Liberty; Dongwon Lee, Mill Creek Elementary School, Liberty; Hailey Long, Mill Creek, Liberty; Jillian Minor, Heritage, Liberty; Neha Mokashi, Heritage, Liberty, Laith Qushair, Heritage, Liberty; Aditya Singhal, Regents International School in Thailand, Discovery; Hannah Smid, American International School Sydney in New South Wales, Australia, North Star Elementary and Desert Ridge Middle schools in Albuquerque, N.M., Liberty; Anna Townsend, Heritage, Liberty; Mary Vaughan, Heritage, Liberty; and Meredith Williams, St. John’s, Liberty.