Four John Adams High School Seniors Named National Merit Scholar Semifinalists

From the South Bend Community School Corporation:

September 9, 2020

John Adams High School seniors Michael A. Bellina, Heather S. Byers, Elise F. Dawson, and Jonah G. Gezelter have been named semifinalists in the 66th National Merit Scholarship Program; they are among nine semifinalists in South Bend and approximately 16,000 in the country. Semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and include the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

Some 1.5 million juniors from 21,000 high schools entered the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The semifinalists will have the opportunity to advance in the competition next spring to win from 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million.

“This is an especially worthy group of seniors,” said Adams High School Principal James Seitz. “Their dedication to their studies has been outstanding, as is the unparalleled education and guidance provided by their teachers, counselors, and parents.”

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, (NMSC) over 90 percent of semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning them the “Merit Scholar” title. To become a finalist, semifinalists must submit a detailed scholarship application and essay. Merit Scholars are then selected on their accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in higher education. Every finalist competes for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 scholarships.

This press release was produced by the South Bend Community School Corporation. The views expressed here are the author’s own.