Nine Lafayette Parish students were named finalists for the National Merit Scholarship program, which annually recognizes academically talented high school seniors.
The students are some of the more than 16,000 semifinalists who will go on to compete for scholarships worth nearly $26 million.
The finalists are:
National Merit finalists represent less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors.
The LPSS finalists “represent the very best” of the district, Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr. said in a statement.
“Their hard work, dedication and academic excellence make us proud, and we look forward to seeing the incredible opportunities that await them,” he said. “They are living examples of our district’s commitment to growth, opportunity, culture and safety.”
Two students from Iberia Parish also were named finalists – Patra Liamkeo, a New Iberia High student and Lucas O’Connor, a homeschool/online student.
About 95% of semifinalists are expected to be named finalists in the spring. About half will win a National Merit Scholarship.
Students compete for the National Merit Scholarship program when they take the 2024 Preliminary SAT as high school juniors. The highest-scoring test takers in each state are named semifinalists.
To become a finalist, semifinalists and a high school official submit a detailed application that includes information about their academic records, participation in extracurricular activities, leadership and awards received. They also must write an essay and score similarly on their SAT or ACT.
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