This week, 16,000 high school seniors were chosen from around the country as semifinalists, who are vying for 7,600 scholarships totaling more than $30 million that will be announced in the spring.
To become a finalist, semifinalists and an official from their high school must submit a detailed scholarship application that provides information about the students’ academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment, awards and honors received.
Semifinalists will also have to write an essay and receive an endorsement from a high school official.
According to National Merit School Program officials, more than 1.5 million juniors in 21,000 high schools across the country entered the program. Of the 16,000 seniors that were named finalists, approximately 15,000 are expected to be named finalists.
National Merit semifinalists in Fairfield County competing for the scholarships:
Bethel
- Lauren Grace Alvero - Bethel High School;
- Audrey Keener - Bethel High School;
- Arav Parikh - Bethel High School.
Brookfield
- Maathangi Nellicherry - Brookfield High School.
Danbury
- Caleb Schlissel - Danbury High School.
Darien
- Alexander Delvecchio - Darien High School;
- Ethan Fox - Darien High School;
- Nicholas Liu - Darien High School;
- Veda Malhorta - Darien High School;
- Natalie Volz - Darien High School.
Fairfield
- Olivia Beniston - Fairfield Ludlowe High School;
- Gerald Kim - Fairfield Ludlowe High School;
- Rushil Mallarpu - Fairfield Ludlowe High School.
- Peter Belkin - Fairfield Warde High School;
- Jacob Lowry - Fairfield Warde High School;
- Christopher Newell - Fairfield Warde High School.
Greenwich
- Jackson Dapuzzo - Brunswick School;
- Cameron Evans - Brunswick School.
- Cecilia Duncan - Convent of the Sacred Heart;
- Emily Newton - Convent of the Sacred Heart;
- Elizabeth Yeager - Convent of the Sacred Heart.
- Meridith Blanchard - Greenwich High School;
- Chelsea Cleary - Greenwich High School;
- Samuel Florin - Greenwich High School;
- George Gilfond - Greenwich High School;
- Joseph Hirsch - Greenwich High School;
- Anjali Kishore - Greenwich High School;
- Skyler McDonnell - Greenwich High School;
- Genevieve McQuillan - Greenwich High School;
- Wyatt Radzin - Greenwich High School;
- Iris Shi - Greenwich High School;
- Artemis Shung - Greenwich High School;
- Colin Speaker - Greenwich High School.
New Canaan
- Elyssa Grogan - New Cannan High School;
- Mark Levin - New Cannan High School;
- Gabriel Smock - New Cannan High School;
- Nicholas Stiles - New Cannan High School;
- Hannah Swimm - New Cannan High School;
- Elena Unger - New Cannan High School;
- Peter Vigano - New Cannan High School;
- Olivia West - New Cannan High School;
- Yikuan Zhou - New Cannan High School;
- Claudia Zhu - New Cannan High School;
- Andrew Zho - New Cannan High School.
- John Briggs - St. Luke's School;
- Catherine Matthews - St Luke's School.
Norwalk
- Paul Buellsbach - Brien McMahon High School.
Ridgefield
- Evelyn Carr - Ridgefield High School;
- Ellie Carter - Ridgefield High School;
- Kenneth Choi - Ridgefield High School;
- Aidan Flaherty - Ridgefield High School;
- Lucas Kaye - Ridgefield High School
- Charles King - Ridgefield High School;
- Emmett Omalley - Ridgefield High School;
- Dmitri Volkov - Ridgefield High School.
Stamford
- Samuel Lai - Stamford High School;
- Rachana Somaskandan - Stamford High School;
- Edward Yudolevich - Stamford High School.
- Gaurov Bansal - Westhill High School;
- Jacob Sherman - Westhill High School.
Trumbull
- John Donofrio - St. Joseph's High School.
- Grace Xiong - Trumbull High School.
Westport
- Elisha Thornton - Pierrepont School.
- Elana Atlas - Staples High School;
- Reed Caney - Staples High School;
- Hannah Even - Staples High School;
- Mohit Gupta - Staples High School;
- Lucas Lieberman - Staples High School;
- Frederick Linn - Staples High School;
- Gary Lu - Staples High School;
- Mira Mahendru - Staples High School;
- Rishabh Mandayam - Staples High School;
- Sebastian Montoulieu - Staples High School;
- Max Montoya - Staples High School;
- Simon Rubin - Staples High School;
- Alexander Toglia - Staples High School;
- Charlotte Zhang - Staples High School.
Wilton
- Zachary Abud - Wilton High School;
- Connor Allen - Wilton High School;
- Jack Hall - Wilton High School;
- Nathaniel Newcomer - Wilton High School;
- Sophia Ramirez - Wilton High School;
- Adarsh Varghese - Wilton High School;
- Browyn Walsh - Wilton High School;
- Nathan Wang - Wilton High School;
- Austin Xie.
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