Local Students Celebrate National Merit Scholarships

National Merit Scholarships

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation named 17 Broward County seniors recipients of the prestigious National Merit Scholarship. The National Merit Scholarship Program was founded to identify and honor scholastically talented American youth and to encourage them to develop their abilities to the fullest. Only 1% of the 1.7 million entrants are selected as Semifinalists each year. The Semifinalists are students who achieve the highest scores on the PSAT/NMSQT in their respective states.

Fewer than 8,000 of the Semifinalists go on to win scholarships. The winners are selected on a state-by-state basis and are judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. NMSC winners receive a $2,500 scholarship and the honor of being a Nation Merit Scholar.

Broward’s winners include:

• Francisco Alvarez Clemente of Cypress Bay High School • Andrei Chekmasov of Cypress Bay High School • Abhishek Suresh of Miramar High School • Madison Draizin of NSU University High School • Nicole Steinberg of NSU University High School • Ralph Curra of St. Thomas Aquinas High School • Matthew Khoriaty of Pine Crest School • Bruce Kolettis of Pine Crest School • Adam Peles of Pine Crest School • Soha Bhutta of American Heritage Schools • Charlotte Caddell of American Heritage Schools • Odin Farkas of American Heritage Schools • Emilin Mathew of American Heritage Schools • Eva Victoria Pierre-Antoine of American Heritage Schools • Christiana Zhang of American Heritage Schools • Albert Wang - Homeschool Weston In addition, three Cypress Bay High School seniors were named

National Merit Corporate-sponsored Scholarship winners:

Bradley Coleman of Plantation High School is the recipient of the National Merit Walgreen Company Scholarship. Vishal Suresh of Cypress Bay High School is the recipient of the National Merit L3Harris Technologies Scholarship.

Corporate sponsors provide National Merit Scholarships for finalists who are either children of their employees, residents of communities the company serves, or finalists who plan to pursue college majors or careers the sponsor wishes to encourage.

Since its founding, NMSC has recognized over 3.4 million students and provided some 451,000 scholarships worth over $1.8 billion. The honors awarded by NMSC to exceptionally able students are viewed as definitive marks of excellence. Recipients of Merit Scholarship® awards, Achievement Scholarship® awards, and corporate-sponsored Special Scholarships have increased the nation's respect for intellectual accomplishments and have contributed significantly to its talent pool of future leaders.

Congratulations to all the 2022 National Merit Scholarship winners! You make us proud!