8 HPHS Students Named National Merit Semifinalists

HIGHLAND PARK, IL - Eight Highland Park High School students were named National Merit semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation on Wednesday.

Nationally, the organization announced approximately 16,000 semifinalists on Wednesday, all of which will have an opportunity to become finalists and then compete for about 7,500 National Merit scholarships worth about $33 million next spring.

About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The ones selected here represent less than 1 percent of high school students nationally.

Students selected from HPHS were:

Jeremy Burroughs
Jack B. Foster
Jacob S. Heilizer
Caroline M. Kisicki
Joshua M. Peters
Molly G. Solem
Olivia K. Varones
Matthew Zurek

While the eight selected from HPHS were well above the average number of selections among Illinois high schools, it didn't match the number from Township High School District 113 rival Deerfield High School, which saw 12 of its students selected.

In order for the semi-finalists to become National Merit finalists, they must submit a detailed application with information on school achievements, grades, involvement with school clubs and activities and test scores.

About 15,000 of the 16,000 are expected to become finalists. The ones selected will be notified in February.

Patch file photo