Eight Additional Seniors Commended for Outstanding Academic Performance
Two high school seniors from Pacific Ridge School were announced as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. Jaden Santiago of Carlsbad and Carter Simpson of San Diego were named among the more than 16,000 semifinalists nationwide in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.
Additionally, eight more Pacific Ridge seniors were commended by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®). Commended students do not advance further in the competition but are part of a selective group recognized for their academic promise as demonstrated by their outstanding performances on standardized testing. These students ranked among the top 50,000 highest scores in the nation. Congratulations to: Jaden Cohen of Rancho Santa Fe, Audie Daly of Carlsbad, Ainsley Dolan of San Diego, Brandon Holland of Encinitas, David Leschensky of Encinitas, Camden Martin of Carlsbad, Nathan Silverman of Encinitas, and Cameron Trueblood of Encinitas.
The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Historically, California's qualifying index is among the top 10 in the nation.