4 Deerfield Students Named 2025 National Merit Semifinalists

DEERFIELD, IL —Four Deerfield students were named semifinalists in the 70th National Merit Scholarship Program Wednesday.

The high school seniors were among 16,000 named nationwide. Of those students, 6,870 will be chosen to share nearly $26 million in scholarship money, which will be announced in spring 2025.

The local Deerfield students named as semifinalists include:

Deerfield High School

• Olivia M. Fisz
• Joshua C. Varon

Rochelle Zell Jewish High School

• Adin Gillers
• Daniel Weisskopf

For comparison, 12 Deerfield students were named semifinalists last fall.

According to officials, three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered next spring. Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis.

About 770 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 130 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 150 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 3,600 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.