16 Waukee CSD Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists – Waukee Community School District
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) has named 16 Waukee CSD high school students as semifinalists for the 2025-26 school year. Those selected represent less than 1% of the nation’s graduating seniors.
These academically talented high school seniors now have the opportunity to continue in the contest to become a finalist and even a scholarship recipient. To advance to finalist status, seniors must fulfill additional requirements during the school year, including maintaining superior academic performance and scoring high on the SAT or ACT. About 95% of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship. The Corporation is expected to share a list of finalists in February and scholarship winners in the spring of 2026.
Additionally, two students were also identified as commended students — Jessica Kratky and Alexander Thompson. Although they will not continue in the 2026 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, commended students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success.
Founded in 1955, NMSC is a nonprofit organization that conducts the annual National Merit Scholarship Program without government funding.
