8 Ridgefield Seniors Are National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Eight local students have been named semifinalists for the 2021 National Merit® Scholarship Program.

The semifinalists were announced on Wednesday and include approximately 16,000 high-school seniors that will go on to compete for the scholarships that will be offered next spring.

According to a press release from the National Merit Scholarship Program, around 15,000 of the semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level. They will be notified in February.

Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 220 corporations and business organizations for finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor’s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. In addition, about 180 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,100 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.

Locally, the following Ridgefield High School seniors have been named semifinalists for the scholarship:

• Evelyn J. Carr
• Ellie L. Carter
• Kenneth K. Choi
• Aidan N. Flaherty
• Lucas B. Kaye
• Charles R. King
• Emmett M. O'Malley
• Dmitri S. Volkov