CEO Corner

NBH Students Named National Merit® Scholarship Semifinalists

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced the names of more than 16,000 semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. This year they include two North Bay Haven High School students. Congratulations to Margaret Bartlow and Grace Hoang for representing the top 1% of high school students academically in the U.S.

These academically talented high school seniors will continue in the competition and could receive one of 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

To become a finalist, the semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application to include their academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards. A semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.