Spotlight on Education: Four Student Semifinalists Named National Merit Scholars

BRADENTON - On Monday, Christopher Korda of Manatee High School was named a National Merit Scholarship Winner. He earned the National Merit ÔUniversity of Central Florida’ Scholarship and is interested in a career in Electrical Engineering. Officials from each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from the Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program who are attending their institution. The award will provide between $500 and $2,000 annually, for up to four years of undergraduate study.

Each of the four Semifinalists from the School District of Manatee County were named National Merit Scholars. This is the third announcement of 2016 National Merit Scholar winners. In April, more than 1,000 recipients of corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards were named, including Corbin Wood of Manatee High School. In May, Hannah Figueras of Braden River High School and Chris Lehman of Manatee High School, were among 2,500 students that were announced as National Merit $2500 Scholarship Winners. This year, 7,500 academic champions will have won National Merit Scholarships worth approx. $33 Million.

More than 1.5 Million high school juniors entered the National Merit Scholarship competition when they took the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. To become a Finalist, each Semifinalist had to complete a detailed scholarship application, which included writing an essay, describing leadership positions and contributions in school and community activities, showing an outstanding academic record, and being endorsed and

recommended by a high school official. The 16,000 Semifinalists announced in the fall of 2015 represent less than one-percent of the nation’s seniors.