Science Hill High School is excited to announce that eight students have earned the honor of being named a National Merit Semifinalist. These students are a part of the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program and are among more than 16,000 semifinalists, nationwide. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than one percent of high school seniors in the United States.
The students who earned this honor include Allen Feng (son of Minxia Lu and Wenlai Feng), Owen Hoover (son of Heather and Randy Hoover), Shiven Jain (son of Vinay and Rekha Jain), Amanda Noe (daughter of Renee and Chris Noe), Aarushi Raj (daughter of Shruti Chaudhary and Anurag Raj), Sophia Stone (daughter of Hongson Yang and William Stone), Dakota Ward (daughter of Lisa and Luther Ward), and Selena Wheeler (daughter of Yurong and Guy Wheeler).
“Today, we celebrate the outstanding achievement of eight of our exceptional students who have reached the National Merit Semifinalist status,” Science Hill Principal Dr. Josh Carter said. “This accomplishment is a testament to their unwavering dedication and commitment to academic excellence. These students have not only demonstrated their exceptional talent but have also exemplified the values of hard work and perseverance that we hold dear in our school community. I am very proud of their accomplishments, and I have no doubt that they will continue to shine brightly as they pursue their dreams and make a positive impact on the world.”
The nationwide pool of semifinalists includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. More than 1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which serves as an initial screen program entrant. About 95 percent of the semifinalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.
