Long Beach High School is pleased to congratulate senior Alexandra (Ali) Thursland for earning the prominent distinction of National Merit Finalist through the National Merit Scholarship Program. Ali was named a semifinalist this past fall based on her Preliminary SAT scores, and advanced to the next level after meeting rigorous academic requirements and achieving outstanding SAT results.

An estimated 1.6 million students from across the nation entered this academic competition by taking the PSAT. Approximately 16,000 of them earned recognition as Finalists this year.

Ali is an International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate focusing her extended essay on “How does Vladimir Nabokov's manipulation of language in Lolita mask Humbert Humbert's nefarious deeds?” She is president of Model Congress, a National Honor Society member and a student government participant. She serves as editor for the Fragments literary magazine and also participates in the high school’s Talented Writer’s program, through which she has earned awards. Also a musician and athlete, Ali plays the trumpet, piano and ukulele and has participated on the junior varsity tennis and track and field teams in previous years.