7 Strongsville Students Recognized In National Merit Competition

STRONGSVILLE, OH — Seven Strongsville High School students were recognized by the prestigious and highly competitive National Merit Scholarship program. Two students were named Semifinalists in the competition, and five were named Commended Students.

The two National Merit Semifinalists are Ben Blickle and Shrina Jasani. The five Commended Students are Erin Horvath, Sakshsa Krishnan, Saaya Morton, Lauren Sapienza, and Cole Ventresca.

“We are proud of this year’s National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Students. These seven students represent some of the very best of Strongsville students. We look forward to Ben’s and Shrina’s potential next steps in the National Merit selection process and are confident that this is another step toward future significant accomplishments by both of them. Congratulations to all seven of our students recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program,” said Mark Smithberger, Principal at Strongsville High School.

The National Merit Scholarship program is an annual competition entered by 1.6 million high school juniors across the nation. Students are automatically entered when they take the PSAT. Semifinalists represent less than 1 percent of the highest performing test takers in the nation. Commended Students are among the top 2 percent in the nation.

Semifinalists have the unique opportunity to compete for National Merit Finalist scholarships. Semifinalists must submit a detailed scholarship application, detailing their academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, work history, and any awards they've received. Semifinalists must also be endorsed by a high school official, write an essay, and earn a qualifying SAT score. No pressure.

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Photo from Strongsville Schools

Photo caption: Strongsville High School’s National Merit Semifinalists & Commended Students (L to R): Ben Blickle, Erin Horvath, Lauren Sapienza, Saaya Morton, Shrina Jasani, Sakshsa Krishnan, Cole Ventresca