Photo courtesy of Peoria Unified School District
Peoria Unified School District is proud to celebrate six students named as National Merit Finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.
This year’s National Merit Finalists from Peoria Unified include:
• Ephraim Joel Esmas| Centennial High School
• Chelston Juntilla |Ironwood High School
• Samantha Randolph | Liberty High School
• Jacob Simpson | Sunrise Mountain High School
• Annabelle Tran | Sunrise Mountain High School
• Madilyn Williams | Sunrise Mountain High School
Approximately 16,000 students were selected nationally to compete for 7,250 National Merit Scholarships, worth $28 million. Less than 1% of high school seniors nationwide are chosen as semifinalists. They must score exceedingly well on the Preliminary SAT/National Qualifying Test as juniors. To become a finalist, the seniors and their high school submitted a detailed scholarship application to include information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities. Students also needed to demonstrate leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards they received during their high school career.
The National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced between April and July by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. For more information about the National Merit Scholarship or the National Achievement Scholarship Program, visit nationalmerit.org.
