Seven Laguna Beach Students Awarded as National Merit Scholars

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Seven Laguna Beach High School students were recently commended by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, according to recent release.

Laguna Beach High School Principal Chris Herzfeld announced that students Justin Flemming-Powell, Ryan Blaser, Camden Benson, Ryan Zipstein, Olivia Vera, Claire Black and Autumn Geil have been named Commended Students in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program.

A Notice of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, was presented by Herzfeld to the students.

“We are so proud of our students for this achievement,” said Herzfeld. “They exemplify the ideals of the well-rounded education that LBHS offers. They not only stood out academically on the PSAT, but they are standouts in dance, music, water polo, volleyball, football, journalism, drama and more.”

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2017 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2017 competition by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT ®).

“The young men and women being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” the NMSC indicated in a statement. “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”

Laguna Beach Unified School District Photo: Left to right: Justin Flemming-Powell, Ryan Blaser, Camden Benson, Ryan Zipstein, Olivia Vera, Claire Black and Autumn Geil.