'Incredibly Bright' LI Student Advances In Scholarship Competition

LINDENHURST, NY— A Lindenhurst High School student has been honored for his academic achievement, district officials said.

Class of 2025 student Jake Albert has been named a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

Out of 1.5 million applicants nationwide, Jake is one of just 16,000 to advance to the semifinals.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation identifies academically talented students across the United States. Students are selected based on their exceptional academic records, participation in school activities, and performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

In addition to his achievements in the classroom, Jake is also an accomplished track athlete.

During the spring 2024 season, he qualified for the state championships and was named to Newsday’s All-Long Island team. Most recently, the outlet listed him among Long Island’s top 25 boys cross country athletes for the fall season.

With this achievement, Jake will now compete for approximately 6,800 National Merit Scholarships to be awarded this spring, totaling more than $26 million.

“Jake is not only incredibly bright, but also an extremely dedicated young man,” said Lindenhurst High School Principal Dr. Matthew Boccanfuso. “This honor is well deserved, and I look forward to seeing what Jake will accomplish, not only in his senior year but also in his future beyond graduation.