National Merit Scholarship Corp. officials recently announced the approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 56th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
The following Kirkland students are semifinalists for the national program: Kirkland Preparatory School: Bain, Marcie C. and Beckerman, Conor J.; International Community School: Antono, Erin M.; Backstrom, Ian D.; Hwang, Dorris Y.; Nagar, Sana R. and Saxby, Julia L.; Juanita High School: Burt, Alexander J.; Kichline, Joseph C.; Piper, James P.; Tsai, Dorothy; Veltkamp, Anna K.; and Lake Washington High School: Wu, Joseph and former student Max Knapp (who resides in Kirkland and now attends Lakeside School in Seattle).
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,400 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $36 million, that will be offered 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 90 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.
