HS Students Honored As National Merit Semi-finalists, Commended Scholars

The Haverford Township Board of School Directors recognized Haverford High School students on Thursday evening, Dec. 15, who had achieved the honor of commended students or national merit scholar semi-finalists for their performance on the PSATs.

Of the 1.5 million students in the nation who take the PSATs, 34,000 students, or the top 5 percent, are recognized as commended scholars and 16,000 students, or 1 percent are recognized as national merit semi-finalists, said Dr. Jeffrey Nesbitt, principal of Haverford High.

The commended students who were recognized are:

• Thomas Gongol of Bryn Mawr
• Samson Hennessy-Strahs of Havertown
• Jacob Lafferty of Ardmore
• Kyle Nawn of Havertown
• Rachel Zou of Havertown

The national merit semi-finalists are:

• Jonathan Chao of Havertown
• Wenye Gloria Huangpu of Wynnewood
• Eli Polack of Havetown
• Youer Katie Shao of Havertown

Chao was also recently inducted into the Delaware County Hall of Fame as a scholar athlete, Nesbitt said.

All of the students who were recognized are straight-A students who are highly involved in extracurricular activities and sports, Nesbitt said.

“They are applying to many of the top colleges around the country and are slowly hearing back from them about their potential futures,” Nesbitt said.