SOMSD boasts 10 finalists in 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange–Maplewood School District has announced that 10 Columbia High School students have been selected as finalists in the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. 

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation honors students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Finalists will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 scholarships, as well as other merit scholarship opportunities, which will be announced in late spring. 

The 10 finalists are: Ella Rose J. Cervi, Aidan P. Cunningham, Dylan K. Gill, Aaaron K. Glassman, Sydney C. Mannion, Jadyn Park, Courtney Bailie Plaza, Calliope Maria Reeves, Cole J. Strupp and Imaan K. Zubieta.

“We are very proud of them for receiving this prestigious academic recognition,” Superintendent of Schools Ronald G. Taylor said.

To enter the 2022 program, 1.6 million juniors took the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The national pool of 16,000 semifinalists included the highest-scoring entrants in each state. To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have had an outstanding academic record throughout high school, earned SAT scores that confirmed the earlier performance on the qualifying test, and demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities. 

“I am proud of every student who earned the distinction of National Merit finalist this year,” CHS Principal Frank Sanchez said. “This year, all 10 students who made it to the semifinalists round — seven more than last year — also moved into the finalists round. This strong result is proof that academic standards in CHS remain high no matter what challenges the pandemic brings. Our students are truly exceptional.”

  Columbia High School, Ronald Taylor, Scholarships