6 More Rhode Island Students Win National Merit Scholarships

RHODE ISLAND — Six students from Rhode Island on Wednesday were awarded $2,500 scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in its latest round of scholarships.

Each year, thousands of students test to qualify for NMSC scholarships. The awards come in several rounds, including awards sponsored by corporations and by the NMSC itself. This round was for scholarships sponsored by U.S. colleges and universities.

"These 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," a spokesperson for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation said.

The Rhode Island winners were:

• Hannah Gruber, of Cumberland — Wheeler School, Providence
• William Barden, of Pawtucket — Blackstone Valley Prep High School, Cumberland
• Anna Flores, of Providence — Classical High School, Providence
• Peter Hofhansel, of Providence — Classical High School, Providence
• Kevin Lai, of Providence — Moses Brown School, Providence
• Chapman White, of East Providence — William Davies Career and Technical High School, Lincoln.