Meet Hicksville's National Merit Scholars

The National Merit Scholar title is a prestigious one that is annually bestowed upon a very select percentage of students. Hicksville High School seniors Shana Mathew and Jakub Tarlowski have both earned this recognition after advancing through the National Merit Scholarship competition.

Mathew and Tarlowski first attained the National Merit Semifinalist status based on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. An estimated 1.6 million students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program’s competition each year when they take the PSAT as juniors. Those with exceptional scores are later distinguished and eligible for the higher recognitions. They were then named finalists based on applications and portfolios of their academic records, extracurricular achievements and awards. Now, they are among approximately 7,500 National Merit Finalists who went on to be identified as National Merit Scholars with scholarship award prizes.

The district congratulates Mathew and Tarlowski for their tremendous honors, and wishes them continued success in the future.

Story by Syntax, Photo courtesy of Hicksville Public Schools: From left, Hicksville Public School District Chairperson for Guidance Services Efthymia Rafaelides, National Merit Scholars Jakub Tarlowski and Shana Mathew, and Hicksville High School Principal Raymond Williams.