Carrollton High School seniors Edward Kenyon and Sarah Scholl have been named National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists, joining an elite group of less than 1 percent of high school seniors nationwide.
More than 1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Semifinalists now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,100 National Merit scholarships worth more than $28 million that will be offered next spring.
They must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.
Edward, Sarah, and other semifinalists will find out in February whether they made finalist status. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
“I am very proud of Edward and Sarah on their outstanding achievement,” said CHS Principal Ian Lyle. “These two students have consistently shown their dedication to academics and I’m looking forward to seeing what lies ahead for them.”
In addition to Edward and Sarah, seniors Shon Dong, Connor Haley, Andrew Johnson, and Eden Long were named Commended Students in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program, CHS Principal Ian Lyle announced late last week.
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic progress. Although they will not continue in the 2024 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers who entered the 2024 competition by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

“All of these students are among our top academic performers, but are also well-rounded, versatile students involved in many school activities,” said CHS Principal Ian Lyle. “That is a combination for life success that will serve them well. We are extremely proud of all of them.”
