Pleasant Hill, Calif.—Eight seniors from six Contra Costa County high schools have been recognized as winners in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These students are among about 830 high school seniors nationwide announced in the first National Merit Scholars group for 2025.
The recipients of National Merit Corporate-Sponsored Scholarships attend the following Contra Costa Schools: Antioch High School (1), California High School (1), Carondelet High School (1), Dougherty Valley High School (2), Miramonte High School (1), and Monte Vista High School (2). These scholarships are sponsored by corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations to assist students who are either children of employees, residents of communities served by the company/funder, or are pursuing college majors and careers the sponsor wishes to encourage.
“These eight high school seniors have excelled academically while actively participating in their school communities through sports, academic competitions, and clubs,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. “This remarkable honor is the culmination of their hard work, the support of caring adults, and the encouragement of teachers, school counselors, and mentors who have played an important role in their lives. Congratulations to these outstanding scholars on this great success!”
Scholarship winners were chosen from a group of students who had reached the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met the criteria established by their scholarship sponsors. Most of the awards are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study and offer annual stipends ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, or a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.
High school juniors entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. In September 2024, 100 Contra Costa County seniors were honored as National Merit Semifinalists, representing the highest-scoring program entrants in California, and comprising less than one percent of the nation’s seniors. Merit Scholars are selected based on their academic skills, extracurricular achievements, and potential for success in college studies. More information about the National Merit Scholarship program can be found online.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
According to The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, by the conclusion of this year’s competition, over 6,930 academic champions will receive National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million. Additional recipients of National Merit® $2500 Scholarships will be announced on May 7, followed by winners of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards on June 4 and July 14.
About Contra Costa County Office of Education
One of 58 counties in California, Contra Costa County has the 11th largest public-school student population in the state (approximately 169,394 students). Officially established in 1932, CCCOE has a long history of providing direct services to some of our county’s most vulnerable students, including young people who are incarcerated, homeless, or in foster care, as well as students who have severe physical or emotional challenges.
CCCOE also provides support services to schools and school districts in Contra Costa County; services that can be handled most effectively and economically on a regional basis rather than by each of the county’s 287 schools or 18 school districts. These services range from budget approval and fiscal support to technology infrastructure, communication support, and high-level professional development opportunities for educators. CCCOE maintains a website at www.cocoschools.org.
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