The National Merit Scholarship Corporation released its lists of National Merit Semifinalists, Commended Students and National Hispanic Recognition Award (NHRA) Finalists, naming seven Mariemont High School students as National Merit Scholars.

 

Caleb Ching was previously named a semifinalist for the prestigious award. He also receives NHRA recognition for 2023.

 

As recently announced by the College Board, seniors Suzy Becksfort, Hadley Dickinson, Clara Hampton, Ellie Urshel, Gavin Van Scoy and Leah Wilson have received Commended honors.

 

The National Merit^® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test — which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.6 million entrants each year— and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.

 

The six MHS Commended students each scored in the top five percent of the 1.6 million high school juniors who entered the 2024 competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

 

As a semifinalist, Ching will continue in the 2024 competition in the hopes of earning one of 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth a combined $37 million to be offered next spring. The nation-wide pool of semifinalists represents less than one percent of US high school seniors.

 

Although not moving on in the competition for scholarships, Becksfort, Dickinson, Hampton, Urshel, Van Scoy and Wilson represent around 34,000 students from across the nation who are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.