Port Jefferson Trio Named National Merit Finalists

PORT JEFFERSON, NY — Earl L. Vandermeulen High School seniors Gani Ates, Grant Samara and Peggy Yin were named finalists in the annual National Merit Scholarship Program, according to the Port Jefferson School District.

The three students took the qualifying test as juniors and are now among approximately 15,000 high school students nationwide who were awarded the distinction. In the next several months, approximately half of those students will be selected to receive a Merit Scholarship award, which is based on their abilities, skills and accomplishments.

Their finalist designations exemplify the district’s high level of student achievement and academically rigorous program, the district wrote.

National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in the spring.