Students In Apple Valley, Rosemount Named National Merit Semifinalists

APPLE VALLEY, MN — The National Merit Scholarship Corporation Wednesday announced the names of more than 16,000 semifinalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, including students who attend school in Apple Valley and Rosemount.

The semifinalists entered the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) in 2021, when they were juniors. The PSAT serves as an initial screen of program, and only one percent of U.S. high school seniors were selected as semifinalists, according to the organization.

Here are the students in Apple Valley who were nominated as semifinalists on Wednesday:

Apple Valley High School

• Bryson S. Flake
• John P. Williams

Eastview High School

• Nathan Elango
• Maxwell S. Pringle
• Benjamin D. Vanorny
• Sophia M. Wang
• Yutong Zhang

School of Environmental Study

• Benjamin E. Kuncel

Rosemount High School

• Colin P. Willette

To become a finalist, the semifinalists and a high school official must submit information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received.

The finalists will then have a chance to earn one of the 7,250 scholarships offered next spring.