18 Puget Sound Students Win National Merit Scholarships

BELLEVUE, WA - The first round of National Merit Scholarships was announced Wednesday, with 18 students from Washington winning scholarships worth between $500 and $10,000. The Washington students were among 1,000 nationwide who got scholarships in this first round.

The National Merit Scholars, who get $2,500 each for college, will be announced May 9. Merit scholarships awarded by colleges will be announced in June.

Here are the 18 winners from around Washington:

Jimmy T. Guo - Newport High School, Bellevue
Probable career field: Computer Science
NATIONAL MERIT SIEMENS SCHOLARSHIP
Siemens Corporation produces and markets electrical and electronic systems, instruments, and components for medicine, science, and industry. Funded through the Siemens Foundation, the purpose of the scholarship program is to support higher education, to honor exceptionally talented high school students, and to aid as many as possible in obtaining a college education.

Preston W. Lee - Issaquah High School
Probable career field: Computer Science
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Eric C. Liu - Interlake High School, Bellevue
Probable career field: Economics
NATIONAL MERIT OMRON SCHOLARSHIP
The Omron Corporation is a leading worldwide supplier of advanced industrial and office automation systems, point of sale and electronic fund transfer systems, and medical electronics, with North American headquarters in Schaumburg, Ill. The company's strong sense of corporate citizenship is demonstrated through its scholarship, environmental concerns and handicapped assistance programs worldwide.

Yoeur-Man T. Mach - Newport High School, Bellevue
Probable career field: Biomedical Engineering
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Tudor A. Muntianu - Interlake High School, Bellevue
Probable career field: Computer Engineering
NATIONAL MERIT NVIDIA CORPORATION SCHOLARSHIP
NVIDIA, based in Silicon Valley, is igniting the next era of computing with its invention, the GPU, acting as the artificial intelligence brain of computers, robots, and self-driving cars. NVIDIA's Merit Scholarship awards recognize outstanding students who are the children of its employees - and reflect the company's commitment to its employees, their families, and higher education.

Grant M. Williams - Issaquah High School
Probable career field: Engineering
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Michael Z. Yang - Interlake High School, Bellevue
Probable career field: Computer Science
NATIONAL MERIT SIEMENS SCHOLARSHIP
Siemens Corporation produces and markets electrical and electronic systems, instruments, and components for medicine, science, and industry. Funded through the Siemens Foundation, the purpose of the scholarship program is to support higher education, to honor exceptionally talented high school students, and to aid as many as possible in obtaining a college education.

Vikram Singh Gill - Bothell High School
Probable career field: Biology
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Nicola J. Beirer - Skyline High School, Sammamish
Probable career field: Computer Engineering
NATIONAL MERIT CDK GLOBAL, LLC SCHOLARSHIP
CDK Global, LLC, provides these scholarships for children of employees.

Shawdi Mehrvarzan - Juanita High School, Kirkland
Probable career field: Undecided
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Kyle Tianen Haining - Inglemoor High School, Kenmore
Probable career field: Computer Science
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Jon Z. Ho - Mercer Island High School
Probable career field: Electrical Engineering
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Peishan Jiang - Interlake High School, Bellevue
Probable career field: Sustainable Energy
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

William R. Wick - Liberty High School, Renton
Probable career field: Bioinformatics
NATIONAL MERIT - THE PWC CHARITABLE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc., a section 501(c)(3) organization, is powered by the knowledge, interests and goodwill of our people. It supports our people when in need and invests in emerging solutions to society's greatest challenges in education and humanitarianism.

Kyle R. Fitch - Homeschool, Olympia
Probable career field: Astrophysics
NATIONAL MERIT STATE FARM COMPANIES FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
The State Farm Companies Foundation believes in developing visionary youth through the power of education. Each spring, the Foundation awards 100 scholarships to legal dependents of employees, agents, and retirees of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and its subsidiaries (State Farm®). State Farm Companies Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation funded by State Farm, the largest auto insurer in the U.S.

Neha S. Nagvekar - Nikola Tesla STEM High School, Redmond
Probable career field: Computer Science
NATIONAL MERIT CITIZEN WATCH SCHOLARSHIP
Located in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc. proudly sponsors these awards for National Merit Scholarship Program Finalists throughout the United States. CITIZEN holds the leading position in the mid-priced watch market in the United States. Using their proprietary ecologically friendly Eco-Drive technology, CITIZEN watches are powered by light, storing energy that can power the watch for at least six months

Ryan G. Mauery - Charles Lindbergh High School, Renton
Probable career field: Biochemistry
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Kevin J. Alexander - Skyline High School, Sammamish
Probable career field: Engineering
NATIONAL MERIT LIBERTY MUTUAL SCHOLARSHIP
Founded in 1912 in Massachusetts to coincide with the enactment of the workers' compensation law, Liberty Mutual is now the largest underwriter of that type of insurance in addition to insuring all other forms of coverage, including life insurance, international insurance, and financial services.

Abel H. Birchfield - Eastlake High School, Sammamish
Probable career field: Computer Science
NATIONAL MERIT NVIDIA CORPORATION SCHOLARSHIP
NVIDIA, based in Silicon Valley, is igniting the next era of computing with its invention, the GPU, acting as the artificial intelligence brain of computers, robots, and self-driving cars. NVIDIA's Merit Scholarship awards recognize outstanding students who are the children of its employees - and reflect the company's commitment to its employees, their families, and higher education.

Lucy A. Jiang - Redmond High School
Probable career field: Computer Science
NATIONAL MERIT LIBERTY MUTUAL SCHOLARSHIP
Founded in 1912 in Massachusetts to coincide with the enactment of the workers' compensation law, Liberty Mutual is now the largest underwriter of that type of insurance in addition to insuring all other forms of coverage, including life insurance, international insurance, and financial services.

Shriya Kurpad - Skyline High School, Sammamish
Probable career field: Computer Science
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Anna Wang - Redmond High School
Probable career field: Computer Science
NATIONAL MERIT JACK HENRY & ASSOCIATES, INC. SCHOLARSHIP
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.® (JHA) is a leading provider of technology solutions and payment processing services primarily for the financial services industry. At JHA, we strive to "do the right thing" in everything we do, both personally and professionally. JHA is a proud supporter of higher education and is pleased to give back to our Associates and their children through the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Leah Y. Deobald - Shorewood High School, Shoreline
Probable career field: Music
NATIONAL MERIT BOEING SCHOLARSHIP
The Boeing Company supports Merit Scholarship awards annually for children of employees. The Merit Scholarship awards are a part of the Boeing Company's comprehensive aid to education program.

Matthew S. Mitchell - Hanford High School, Richland
Probable career field: Engineering
NATIONAL MERIT BATTELLE SCHOLARSHIP
Battelle serves industry and government in the areas of technology development, laboratory management, and technology commercialization. Battelle has operations at more than 100 locations and clients in 30 countries. At Battelle, company officials believe that all students should be able to go as far in school, in college, and in a career as their ability and talent will take them, and that a quality education prepares individuals to contribute effectively to their communities and workplaces.

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