Central Bucks Students Win National Merit Scholarships

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Four students from the Central Bucks School District have been named National Merit Scholarship winners from more than 15,000 finalists nationwide.

The scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the finalists and their high schools: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.

Winners receive a $2,500 scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The local finalists are:

• Mila Acosta-Morales of Chalfont, a student at Central Bucks High School West in Doylestown. Probable career field: Special education.
• Joshua W. Baker of Pipersville, a student at Central Bucks High School East. Probable career field: Biomedical engineering.
• Ethan H. Kim of Chalfont, a student at Central Bucks High School South in Warrington. Probable career field: Veterinary medicine.
• Akhil Sethukarthy of Warrington, a student at Central Bucks High School South. Probable career field: Corporate finance.

National Merit scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.