The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the awardees for this year's National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners. Students from four Hawai'i public schools were selected for this honor out of 15,000 national finalists.
"We are proud of these students for receiving national recognition for their hard work and extracurricular accomplishments," said Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto. "Congratulations to them and their families, as well as the teachers and administrators who supported them throughout their academic career. We wish each of them the best as they pursue their college and career goals."
The 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program winners are:
- Travis Afuso, Mililani High School. Probable career field: Military Service.
- Laney Flanagan, Maui High School. Probable career field: Chemistry.
- Patrick Leonhardt, Kalaheo High School. Probable career field: Biomedical Engineering.
- Chloe Shigeoka, Roosevelt High School. Probable career field: Computer Science.
National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the finalists in each state who are judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating high school seniors.
"At National Merit Scholarship Corporation, it is our goal to shine a spotlight on the academically talented students of the United States. We invite their communities to join us in celebrating their academic achievements," shared Matthew Budreau, director of public information, National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
The Scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the Finalists and their high schools: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.
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