13 Shaker High Students Named National Merit Semifinalists

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH — Thirteen Shaker Heights High students have been named National Merit Semifinalists.

District officials said this is the largest number of Shaker students named National Merit Semifinalists since 2016.

"Shaker Heights High School had the second-highest number of National Merit Semifinalists among Northeast Ohio public high schools and the seventh-highest among all of Ohio’s public high schools," the district said on its website.

Here are the Shaker Heights High students named National Merit Semifinalists this year:

• Asya Akkus
• Margaret Bennett
• Ian Bhatia
• Mathew Boardman
• Michael Bond
• Maximilian Carroll
• Matthew Kirchner
• Rylan Polster
• Madeline Price
• Zachary Segar
• Sriram Srinivas
• David Szoke
• Isaac Van Orman

More than 1.5 million students annually apply for National Merit Scholarships. When students take the PSAT they are automatically entered into the fray. Less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors become semifinalists.

Only 16,000 students earn National Merit Semifinalist distinctions annually. Semifinalists can become Finalists and compete for $30 million in scholarships.