High school teachers from across North America and from as far away as Asia will travel to Cornell University to be honored by their former students on May 22.

Thirty-five Cornell students -- selected as the university's top graduates -- will pay tribute to these teachers for inspiring them and instilling in them a love of learning that has led to their outstanding undergraduate careers. The students, honored as Merrill Presidential Scholars, represent the top 5 percent of Cornell's 1996 graduating class. They are chosen by deans of each of Cornell's seven undergraduate colleges for outstanding academic achievement, strong leadership ability and potential for contributing to society.

Each Merrill Scholar selects a high school teacher and Cornell faculty member who have made significant contributions to, and had a strong influence on, the student's academic career. High school teachers, Cornell faculty members and the Merrill Scholars who chose them will be recognized May 22 at noon in the Memorial Room of Willard Straight Hall.

In honoring their former high school teachers, students wrote about the teachers' enthusiasm for learning, willingness to provide extra help and ability to energize and build confidence.

Ramapo Senior High School English teacher George Longobardi did just that for Merrill Scholar Todd Builione of Monsey, N.Y.

"His tendency to call on me in class demonstrated his faith in my academic abilities," wrote Builione in his essay saluting Longobardi. "This helped me to recognize the power of confidence and the significance of self-confidence in the face of any difficult challenge."

Each teacher selected is honored with a $4,000 scholarship in his or her name that will be awarded to an incoming freshman from their high school or community.

Cornell began saluting secondary school teachers in 1988 "to recognize the singular influence of inspired teaching and enduring bonds that are often forged between teachers and those they have taught." The STAR (Special Teachers Are Recognized) Scholarships were established by Donald and Margi Berens, members of the Class of 1947. Additional support has come from the William Knox Holt Foundation and the Cornell Alumni Association of Central New York.

The Merrill Presidential Scholars Program is made possible by funding from Philip Merrill, Cornell Class of 1955, chairman of Capital Gazette Communications.

Merrill Scholars, their majors and hometowns are listed below, followed by the names of the high school teachers and Cornell faculty members they selected for recognition: Sean Anderson, an architecture major from Greenville, S.C.; Roy Fluhrer, The Fine Arts Center; Mark Jarzombek, associate professor of architecture.

Michael Arcuri, a computer science major from Southampton, Pa.; Fred Prout, William Tennent High School; Bruce R. Land, research associate at the Center for Theory and Simulation in Science.

Thomas Bartnikas, a biological sciences major from North Lancaster, Ontario; Ron Dixon, Lower Canada College; James Shapleigh, assistant professor of microbiology.

Todd Builione, an agricultural, resources and managerial economics major from Monsey, N.Y.; George Longobardi, Ramapo Senior High School; Deborah Streeter, associate professor of agricultural, resources and managerial economics.

Deborah deSa, a biological sciences major from Batavia, N.Y.; Mary Ellen Ames, Batavia High School; John Lis, chair and professor of biochemistry, molecular and cell biology.

Phillip Geissler, a chemistry major from Richmond, Va.; Ellen Mayo, Douglas Freeman High School; Roger Loring, associate professor of chemistry.

Amy Gillis, a mechanical and aerospace engineering major from Victor, N.Y.; Gary Thompson, Victor Senior High School; Donald Bartel, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Jessica Hills, a nutritional sciences major from Brooklyn, N.Y.; Jeremy Gilbert, South Shore High School; Patrick Stover, assistant professor of nutritional sciences.

Joyce Hoying, an industrial and labor relations major from Madison, Ind.; Mark Watson, Indiana Academy for Sciences, Mathematics and Humanities; Susanne BruyŽre, senior extension associate.

Charmaine Ing, an agricultural, resources and managerial economics major from Kowloon, Hong Kong; Patricia Doney, The Bishop Strachan School; Ralph Christy, professor of agricultural, resources and managerial economics.

Adam Iwantsch, a civil and environmental engineering major from Bedford, N.Y.; Edmund Nespoli, Byram Hills High School; Jery Stedinger, professor of civil and environmental engineering.

Jima Jenab, a chemistry major from Gainesville, Fla.; Kathleen Findley, Buchholz High School; Melissa Hines, assistant professor of chemistry.

Theodor Keilholz, a Hotel School finance and law major from North Tonawanda, N.Y.; James Deiotte, St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute; Barbara Lang, lecturer in food and beverage management.

Freda Kirkham, a College Scholar from St. Helena, Calif.; Sally Dungan, Thacher School; Kenneth McClane, professor of English.

Matthew Kumpf, a biometry and statistics major from Centereach, N.Y.; Carl Krolik, Centereach High School; Stephen Ceci, professor of human development and family studies.

Tseng Wai Alex Leung, an applied and engineering physics major from Kowloon, Hong Kong; Patrick Siu, St. Francis of Assisi's College; Alexander Gaeta, assistant professor of applied engineering physics.

Nicole Lloyd, a physics major from Woodbridge, Va.; Gary Manning, Radford High School; Martha Haynes, professor of astronomy.

Norbert Lou, an agricultural and bioengineering major from Windsor, Conn.; Richard Afragola, Windsor High School; Kifle Gebremedhin, professor of agricultural and biological engineering.

Yinqing Ma, a food science major from Shanghai; Lixin Han, high school affiliated with Jiaotong University; Dennis Miller, professor of food science.

Darael Mahoney, a human service studies major from Erin, N.Y.; Gary Chollet, Horseheads High School; Ellen Johnson deLara, lecturer in human service studies.

Filip Ronning, a physics major from Cherry Hill, N.J.; Murray Fineman, Cherry Hill High School West; Bruce Kusse, professor of applied and engineering physics.

Mark Saindon, a chemical engineering major from Glastonbury, Conn.; Elizabeth Shamroth, Glastonbury High School; Claude Cohen, professor of chemical engineering.

Jennifer Sceppa, a biology major from Sea Girt, N.J.; Kent Zerby, Freehold High School; Jeffrey Doyle, associate professor of botany.

Jeffrey Schenck, an electrical engineering major from Hebron, Conn.; Carol Powell, RHAM High School; Jon Hagen, director of lab operations of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center at Cornell.

Marisa Schiller, a biology major from Baldwin, N.Y.; George Wilson, Baldwin Senior High School; Robert Johnston, professor of psychology.

James Scott, a Hotel School financial management and accounting major from Lockhart, Texas; Yvonne Gandy, Lockhart High School; Gordon Potter, associate professor of financial management.

Derek Shaffer, an industrial and labor relations major from Scarsdale, N.Y.; Leonard Weinstein, Edgemont High School; Nicholas Salvatore, associate professor of history in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Ross Silver, a biology major from Lakewood, N.Y.; Christine Potter, Clarkstown High School North; Miriam Salpeter, professor of neurobiology and behavior.

Reed Singer, a city and regional planning major from Racine, Wisc.; Tom Defazio, McKinley Middle School; Robert Abrams, senior lecturer in real estate.

Eytan Szmuilowicz, a psychology major from Toronto; Graeme Mawson, Community Hebrew Academy; Paul Sherman, professor of neurobiology and behavior.

James Toung, a biology major from Towson, Md.; Richard Yuknavich, Loch Raven High School; Peter Nathanielsz, professor of physiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Tracy Triplett, a natural resources major from Stamford, Conn.; Ina Mirviss, Westhill High School; Mark Bain, associate professor of natural resources.

Jerome Walford, an art major from Brooklyn, N.Y.; Roberta Berman, Erasmus Hall High School and Academy of the Arts; Gregory Page, associate professor of art.

Serena Wong, a linguistics major from Vancouver, B.C.; Jean McLagan, York House School; Carol Rosen, associate professor of modern languages.

Jamie Wood, a human development and family studies major from Middlebury, Vt.; Cindy Atkins, Middlebury Union High School; Steven Robertson, associate professor of human development and family studies.