3 Long Beach High School Seniors Named National Merit Finalists

LONG BEACH, NY — Three Long Beach High School seniors that were named National Merit Semifinalists in the fall have advanced to the Finalist level in the 66th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Maya Arengo, Uma Arengo and Tyler Collinson are among approximately 15,000 students throughout the nation to earn this distinction out of more than 1.5 million that entered upon taking the PSAT last year.

All three are dedicated students who are involved in an array of extracurricular activities and hold leadership roles with school organizations in addition to being IB Diploma Candidates. They have each earned awards and accolades in their various pursuits.

"What an accomplishment — both as individuals and as sisters,” said Maya and Uma’s guidance counselor Erik Steinmetz. “Maya and Uma have seen what hard work and dedication can produce. I am very proud of these young ladies.”

“I have been overwhelmed with Tyler’s level of maturity and sense of responsibility she exhibits with everything she does,” said Collinson's guidance counselor Amy Leder. “Even though she is very advanced in her academic studies, she still finds a way to show improvement. She is a worldly, mature, and extremely accepting young woman.”

The Arengos and Collinson are now eligible to earn scholarship awards as the program progresses this spring.