East Providence Senior Wins $2.5k National Merit Scholarship

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — An East Providence student is one of this year's National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

Sarasvati R. Buchta, a student at East Providence High School, was chosen out of approximately 16,000 finalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Buchta plans to study environmental engineering in college and can use the funding at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

The National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the finalist s in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and college potential. The number of winners in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating seniors.

Merit Scholars are chosen by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors based on their academic records, standardized test scores, contributions and leadership in school and their communities, an essay, and a recommendation written by a high school official.

By the end of the 2021 competition, approximately 7,500 finalists will have been selected to receive nearly $30 million in awards.