Eastport-South Manor Teens Among National Merit Scholarship Finalists

EASTPORT, NY — Eastport-South Manor Jr.-Sr. High School seniors Benjamin M. Isaacson and Aidan C. Young have made their hometown proud: Both been named finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship program.

Benjamin and Aidan were part of a nationwide pool of 16,000 semifinalists, representing 1 percent of United States high school seniors, who were the highest-scoring entrants in each state on the 2021 preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship qualifying test.

Both Benjamin and Aidan have received a Certificate of Merit and will soon learn whether they have been chosen as one of 7,250 Merit Scholarship winners. Both students will be judged on their academic records, information about the high school’s curriculum and grading system, their PSAT/NMSQT selection index scores, school official recommendations, contributions and leadership activities and a finalist essay, the district said.

"The district congratulates Benjamin and Aidan on this outstanding accomplishment and extends best wishes for success in the National Merit Scholarship program competition," officials said.