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Fiona Wu s parents were the first to learn about the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program and urged her to apply.
The Greenwood Laboratory School senior knew the prestigious honor was a long shot, even for the most accomplished high school seniors. Each year, up to 161 students as few as two from each state are selected.
Wu, the daughter of Shuo-Sheng Wu and Xiaomin Qui, made the initial cut, listed as a candidate for the honor in early January along with nearly 100 Missouri seniors.
She recently advanced, named one of 625 semifinalists in the U.S. including just 11 from Missouri. On the short list, she is the only one from the Springfield area.