Deer Park High School student Andreas Stamatakis was recently named a semifinalist in the 59th annual 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program, the prestigious academic scholarship competition that has recognized remarkable academic achievements since 1955.

This high-achieving senior and future salutatorian, ranked second in Deer Park’s top 10 of the Class of 2014, was recognized for his outstanding test results in the 2012 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Out of the more than 1.5 million students from over 22,000 schools who competed by taking the PSAT as juniors, Stamatakis placed among the top 1 percent in New York State. He and the approximately 16,000 other semifinalists, named on a state representational basis, will continue in the competition for 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth about $35 million that will be offered next spring.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Andreas possesses the intelligence, focus and determination to accomplish great things in the future,” said Meryl Fischer, Stamatakis’s guidance counselor at the school. He is a young man of rare ability whose potential is unlimited. Wherever he goes, he will leave his mark as he has at Deer Park High School.”

While his academic performance is remarkable, including being named an AP Scholar of Distinction, scoring 100 on seven out of 12 Regents examinations and receiving a perfect 5 out of 5 on all six Advanced Placement exams taken, Stamatakis’s well-rounded resume makes it clear why he is such a unique and highly-regarded scholar and NMS candidate.

Stamatakis worked as an intern in the physics department at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y. this past summer, and intends to pursue a double major in economics and physics after graduation.

His dual interests are reflected in two of his primary leadership roles, serving as co-president of the Science Olympiad team – where he was named a finalist at the Feb. 23 regional competition – and as president of Suffolk County DECA for 2013-2014. In the latter business-focused school organization, Stamatakis finished in first place in Suffolk County DECA competitions and in the top 10 in New York State in both 2012 and 2013.

A trilingual speaker – also fluent in Italian and Greek – he serves as president of the Deer Park Academic Team, is a member of the school’s National Honor Society, Italian Honor Society and Math Team, and has competed on Deer Park’s boys varsity swim team for the past five years.