Two Southeast Students Win National Merit Scholarships

BRADENTON – This week, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced this year’s $2,500 Scholarship winners and Southeast High School senior Jonathan P. Xavioer was among 2,500 Merit Scholar designees from a talent pool of more than 15,000 Finalists. Fellow 'NoleAlexander Aldama-Apodacawas among 1,000 recipients of a corporate-sponsored scholarship award.

Corporate awards provide annual stipends ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 per year and are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients may use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.

Xavioer says he's interested in studying Computer Science. Aldama-Apodaca says he's interested in studying Computer Programming.

National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, according to a press release. There are only 131 students from Florida named $2,500 Scholarship recipients.

Most of these single-payment scholarships are financed by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Scholars may use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

Seven high school seniors from Manatee County’s traditional public schools were named National Merit Scholarship Finalists.

High school juniors entered the 2022 National Merit Scholarship competition when they took the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Last fall, more than 16,000 Semifinalists were designated for being the highest-scoring program entrants in each state and represented less than one percent of the nation’s seniors.