Woodlands Academy seniors receive National Merit commendations

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – In addition to its two Semifinalists, three more Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart students have distinguished themselves in the current National Merit Scholarship competition. School officials were recently informed that seniors Amelie Chew, Madeleine Lillis and Emanay Piracha are among the approximately 34,000 high school seniors nationwide being recognized for exceptional academic promise demonstrated by their performance on a qualifying test.

Each of them received a Letter of Commendation from Woodlands and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program. Although they are among the top 50,000 scorers in the 2027 program, commended students do not continue in the National Merit Scholarship awards competition.

Subscribe

According to NMSC, these students represent a valuable national resource. Recognizing their accomplishments and their schools' critical role in their academic development is vital to advancing educational excellence in the U.S.

"Woodlands Academy is proud to share in commending Amelie, Madeleine and Emanay, who clearly have demonstrated such outstanding academic success," said Associate Head of School for Academics Rocco Gargiulo. "We hope this recognition will inspire them to continue to thrive and pursue academic excellence."

Recently, Woodlands Academy students Claire Caserio and Elisa McCusker were named among the less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors achieving semifinalist status in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Semifinalists continue in the competition for National Merit® scholarships to be awarded next spring.

Evanston-based National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is a non-profit organization that operates without government assistance. It was established in 1955 to conduct the annual National Merit Scholar Program. NMSC underwrites scholarships with its funds andthose fromapproximately 340 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC's goals of honoring the nation's scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Woodlands Academy is a Catholic, independent, day-and-boarding, college-preparatory school for young women of all faiths, grades nine through 12, that promotes engaging academics, artistic and athletic excellence, strong faith, and social responsibility. It is part of a worldwide network of more than 150 Sacred Heart schools in 41 countries on six continents.