WCS Sets New Record for National Merit Semifinalists

Published September 14, 2016

Williamson County Schools has set a new district record for the number of National Merit Semifinalists.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced September 14 that 50 WCS students were named 2017 National Merit Semifinalists. Brentwood High School had more Semifinalists than any other school in the state with 19.

“In a year where the PSAT cut score is the highest it has been in almost two decades, our students continue to perform at an almost unimaginable level,” said WCS Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools Dr. Charles Farmer. “It is a testament to the determination and expectations of our students, parents and teachers that we continue to offer a rigorous curriculum that challenges students to excel and attain such a prestigious recognition.”

These high school seniors will have an opportunity to compete for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships that will be offered this spring. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Of the 1.5 million students who entered the program, approximately 16,000 were named Semifinalists. To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and his or her high school must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment and honors received. Students will be notified in February if they’ve advanced to the Finalist level.

Congratulations to the following National Merit Semifinalists:

Brentwood High

Zurie Adams, Andrew Brown, Shirley Cai, Sarah Dillender, Matthew Donahue, Abigail Ezell, Riley Graves, Joseph Gripenstraw, Brooke Horesh, Chirag Kaushik, Arjun Keerthi, Sophie Khomtchenko, Sheryas Kumar, Justin Lambright, Aleya Prasad, Alexander Qin, Richard Sheng, Harry Westbrook and Emma Young

Centennial High

David Price and Daniel Seifferth

Franklin High

Michael Albert, Tian Geng, Kelli Kee, Caleb Patrick and James Robinson

Independence High

Harold LaCroix, Liam Spoletini, Evelyn Teeple, William Waring and Evelyn Williams

Page High

Hunter Spivey and Olivia Snow

Ravenwood High

Emily Berexa, Jared Boggs, Kurt Erickson, Garrett Foran, Cailyn Goodbred, Theodore Grosson, Preston Johnston, Young-Rae Kim, Ashley Klee, Adriana Kurowski, Jerry Lu, Jessica Mixon, Daniel Nicastro, Alyssa Parker, Alexandra Plukis, Kathryn Rigsby and Dalton Shaub