Five local students are among eight in Pasco County who have been recognized as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, and will join hundreds of others in the state to the national semifinal round.
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. recognizes high school seniors with the highest scores on the preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, who met published program participation requirements. The semifinalists are now eligible to compete for one of 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $35 million.
Local students recognized include:
• Brendan Foley of Pasco High School
• Lisa Goldsworthy of Sunlake High School
• Veronica Grady of Land O’ Lakes High School
• Olivia Sunna of Wiregrass Ranch High School
• Emily Suvannasankha of Land O’ Lakes High School
Other county semifinalists were Juliana Cavallaro from Mitchell High School, and both Mackenzie Marques and Jaquelyn Nagy from Gulf High School.
“I am very proud of our students for achieving such a distinguished honor,” said Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning, in a release. “Their success is a direct result of their dedication to academic excellence and the rigorous instruction provided by our outstanding teachers.”
To be considered, students must submit a detailed scholarship application that includes their academic record throughout high school, participation in school and community activities, demonstration of leadership abilities, and honors and awards received. Students also must be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn an SAT score that confirms the earlier performance on the qualifying test.
Finalists are selected based on exceptional skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. is a not-for-profit organization established in 1955 to conduct the National Merit Scholarship program.
