2 Calabasans Named National Merit Semifinalists

Calabasas CA

21 September, 2020

6:09 PM

Description

CALABASAS, CA — As usual, Calabasans are making the grade. On Sept. 9, the National Merit Scholarship announced that four local students have qualified as semifinalists for the 2021 award. The semifinalists from Calabasas are Quynh-Anh Nguyen and Jeremy White of Calabasas High School. Nguyen and White join 16,000 others around the country who scored well enough on the 2019 Preliminary SAT Exams to qualify for finalist status. According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. To advance to finalist status, applicants must provide detailed information about their grades and extracurricular activities, write an essay, and be recommended and endorsed by an employee at their school. 15,000 of the semifinalists are expected to advance to finalist status, according to the NMSC. Finalists will then compete for the 2,500 scholarships, which are worth $2,500 each. 2021 winners will be named in four separate announcements from next April to July. "I am so proud of their dedication and hard work!" wrote Las Virgenes Superintendent Dan Stepenosky in an email. "Congrats to their families, teachers, staff, and principals that supported them along the way. Go Coyotes and go Chargers!"