District 230 Students Among Nation’s Top Achievers in National Merit Program

District 230 is celebrating the remarkable academic achievements of four National Merit Semifinalists and 20 Commended Scholars in the prestigious 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP). These milestones reflect not only individual brilliance but also the dedication and hard work that thrives within all of our schools.

Semifinalists
Semifinalists represent less than 1% of US high school seniors. About 16,000 semifinalists nationwide are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise, according to information provided by NMSP. They will continue in the 2026 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards and will compete nationally for nearly $26 million in scholarships that will be awarded in the spring. To advance to Finalist status, Semifinalists must complete a detailed application that includes their academic record, leadership experience, activities, and honors. They must also be recommended by a school official, maintain a strong academic performance, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm their earlier test results.

Commended Scholars
Commended Scholars are students who performed in the top 2-3% of all Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test test-takers on a nationally applied score. These students are among 34,000 high schoolers recognized throughout the nation for their exceptional academic promise after taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Superintendent Dr. Robert Nolting said, “We are incredibly proud of our four National Merit honorees. Their achievements reflect not only their talent and dedication but also the support of their teachers, families, and classmates. These recognitions highlight the culture of academic excellence that thrives in District 230 and inspire all of us to continue striving for greatness.”

Congratulations to the following students:

National Merit Semifinalists
Neel Patel - Sandburg
Mihir Pradhan - Sandburg
Hunter Boyle - Andrew
Ashton Zopf - Andrew

Commended Scholars
Keaton Kazin - Stagg
Emerson Kim - Stagg
Tamir Mohamed - Stagg
Katelynn Cabrera - Sandburg
Jack Henson - Sandburg
Marram Hishmeh - Sandburg
Sangmyung Lee - Sandburg
Ben Lewandowski - Sandburg
Chloe McLaughlin - Sandburg
Matthew Swais - Sandburg
Samir Tanbouz - Sandburg
Ava Troy - Sandburg
Alexandra Vazquez-Gutierrez - Sandburg
Aryan Vora - Sandburg
James Abraham - Andrew
Amberlily Aranda - Andrew
Andrea Magallanes - Andrew
Jack Radtke - Andrew
Noah Roberts - Andrew
Dash Wilson - Andrew