11 Lee County students named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, the most in 20 years – The News-Press

Eleven Lee County students have been named semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program, the largest number of district students honored by the program in at least 20 years.
The semifinalists represent less than 1% of all high school seniors nationwide, according to a news release from the Lee County School District.
The students are Joshua Recupito from Cape Coral High School; Nishini Fernando, Isabella Fowler, Deetya Gogineni and Finlay Schofield from Dunbar High School; Victoria Busch and Sebastian Canizares from Fort Myers High School; Madelyn Spitzer from Gateway High School; Erik Boys from Lee Virtual School; and Sebastian Jeanpierre and Justin Wang from North Fort Myers High School.
Gateway High School and Lee Virtual School have their first National Merit Program semifinalists.
“Madelyn exemplifies academic excellence at the highest level,” said Gateway High School Cambridge AICE Coordinator Darla Whitlow. “As a full-time dual-enrolled student at Florida Gulf Coast University, she earned the AICE Diploma with Distinction—the highest honor awarded by Cambridge—and achieved the top score in the nation for AICE Global Perspectives in 2024. Her continued success, including an A+ in A Level Global Perspectives in 2025 and consistently ranking among the top scorers across all her AICE exams, reflects an extraordinary intellect, tireless work ethic, and a passion for learning that truly set her apart.”
Lee Virtual School Principal Jennifer McMillan Barnes added, “Lee Virtual School is excited to have Erik as our first National Merit Program Semifinalist! He is a highly motivated high school student who approaches his academics with focus, dedication, and a strong sense of responsibility. Conscientious and determined, he consistently puts forth his best effort to achieve success in every task he undertakes.”
More than 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The nationwide pool of semifinalists includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.
About 15,000 students are expected to advance to the finalist level in February. To become a finalist, the semifinalist and their high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application with the student’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, honors, endorsements and an essay. They will then compete for 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth $26 million that will be offered next spring.
“At Dunbar High School, A World Class IB STEM School, we are thrilled to celebrate our four National Merit Semifinalists — Nishini Fernando, Isabella Fowler, Deetya Gogineni, and Finlay Schofield,” said Principal Carl Burnside. “Dunbar continues to have the highest percentage of students recognized in the entire district, and this achievement reflects the incredible talent, determination, and academic excellence of our students. What makes this recognition even more remarkable is that each of these students has not only achieved this honor, but also holds a plethora of other accomplishments that highlight their leadership, innovation, and well-rounded excellence. We could not be more proud of the way they represent Dunbar on a national stage.”
“We are so thrilled to have Joshua be a semi-finalist for the National Merit Scholarship,” said Cape Coral High School Principal Ryan Jackson. “ Joshua embodies everything that Cape Coral High School represents with his tremendous work ethic and desire to success. We are so proud of Joshua and all of his accomplishments.”
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