Estes honored as Merit Scholar, Presidential finalist

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle High School senior Kaleb Estes was recognized as a Merit Scholarship Finalist and a Presidential Scholar candidate at a Hartselle School Board meeting Monday night.
To commemorate the honor he received certificates of commendation from Superintendent Dr. Mike Reed and a standing ovation from approximately 50 people who attended the meeting.
In introducing the honoree, Reed said Estes made 35 out of a possible 36 on his ACT Test and was recently offered a scholarship at the University of Alabama in Birmingham for an accelerated pre-medicine program.
The son of Keith and Melissa Estes of Hartselle, Estes is president of the HHS Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a member of the golf team, a member of the Student Council and statistician for the boy’s basketball team. He is also a member of Decatur Baptist Church and a volunteer at Decatur General Hospital.
He was selected by Daikin Corporation to serve as a summer ambassador to Japan last year and also participated in a summer seminar sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Academy.
He plans to pursue a career in biomedical engineering and has applied for admission to Duke University.
As a Merit Finalist, Estes ranks among the nation’s elite high school seniors and qualifies for a wide range of college scholarships. To rise to the top in the Merit Scholarship Program he was required to write a compelling essay on “Why I should be selected as a Merit Scholarship Finalist.”