Dozens of Nebraska students were announced on Monday as winners of prestigious National Merit Scholarships, joining the thousands of recipients nationwide.
Nearly 70 students from across Nebraska — from the state’s panhandle to communities along the eastern state line — earned the awards, which are given to high-performing students annually by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Students are selected based on SAT scores, academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment and honors and awards received.
This year, around 7,100 students nationwide were selected for three different types of National Merit Scholarships, totaling around $26 million. The organization received more than 15,000 applications for three scholarship categories.
The recipients of the first category — a $2,500 scholarship — are selected based on who has the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies in every state. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.
This year, 18 students were honored in Nebraska.
Winners of the college-sponsored awards are chosen by officials from each respective university. Recipients are provided a scholarship of $500 to $2,000 annually for up to four years to attend the institution financing the award.
In total, more than 3,700 students nationwide were selected for these scholarships, 46 of which were from Nebraska this year.
Four students in the state were chosen for the corporate-sponsored awards, which are typically given to children of employees at various companies. About 830 students were selected nationwide.
Here are Nebraska’s scholarship recipients:
LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOLS
Sarah Cai, Lincoln East High School
Elliana Hiser, Lincoln East High School
Nicholas Li, Lincoln East High School
Cheryl Xiyue Zeng, Lincoln East High School
Vittoria Quaranta, Lincoln Southwest High School
OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS
Tanya Bachu, Brownell-Talbot School
Joshua Mammen, Creighton Preparatory School
Nivesh Reddy, Elkhorn South High School
Natalie Mae Peterson, Gering High School
Mackenzie Reidy, Marian High School
Caleb Yeh, Millard North High School
Anuj Singh, Millard North High School
Zhongzhi Ji, Millard North High School
Michael Tophoj, Ogallala High School
Hugh Lowe-Weyand, Omaha Central High School
Jonah Muench, Waverly High School
Cora Dietrich, Westside High School
Isabella Gerloff, Westside High School
LINCOLN
Lincoln High School
Tyler Thimmesch, Grinnell College Scholarship
Lincoln East High School
Macy Fagler, University of Tennessee
Jack Welstead, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Jack Soukup, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Brooks Brummond, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Elizabeth Mason, Drake University
Lincoln North Star High School
Evan Tyler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln Southwest High School
Brandon Beason, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Ripley Becker, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Amelia Burba, University of Minnesota
Benjamin Quattrocchi, University of Kansas
BELLEVUE
Bellevue West High School
Abigail Schmidt, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Benjamin Heckens, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
ELKHORN
Elkhorn North High School
Nolan King, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Argos Shao Chong Zhang, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Mason Miller, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Elkhorn South High School
Jonah Lubberstedt, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Mount Michael Benedictine High School
Connor Smith, University of Alabama
Cole Storch, University of Alabama
FREMONT
Fremont High School
Noah Miller, Iowa State University
GERING
Gering High School
Zephaniah Henderson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
GRAND ISLAND
Northwest High School
Elliott Balcom, Wichita State University
GRETNA
Gretna East High School
Nathan McCormick, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
HASTINGS
St. Cecilia High School
Samuel Hoops, University of South Florida
HENDERSON
Heartland Community School
Austin Schmidt, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
KEARNEY
Kearney Catholic High School
Jackson Dunham, University of Oklahoma
Kearney High School
Emma Heacock, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
MILLARD
Millard North High School
Akhil Bettadapura, Indian University Bloomington
Dagny Edward, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Owen Hickenbottom, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Rahul Mohan, University of South Florida
Keerthana Vinod, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Sumanas Reddy Maram, University of South Florida
Millard West High School
Katherine Ebmeier, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
OMAHA
Omaha North High School
Audra Morrison, Fordham University
Ellis Yamamoto, University of Minnesota
Creighton Preparatory School
Daniel Wessling, Vanderbilt University
Edward Watson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Mercy High School
Emily Browning, University of Tulsa
Skutt Catholic High School
John Mohs, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Westside High School
Jonathan Laghrib, University of Alabama
Izabella Santo, Auburn University
PAPILLION
Papillion La Vista High School
Eleanor Prekker, Creighton University
Nicholas Serwatowski, Case Western Reserve University
WAHOO
Wahoo High School
Sawyer Lavaley, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
WAYNE
Wayne High School
Norah Armstrong, Belmont University
LINCOLN
Pius X High School
Brody Schnieders, United Services Automobile Association Scholarship
ELKHORN
Elkhorn North High School
Brayden Bae, 3M Scholarship
Elkhorn South High School
Zachary Flynn, 3M Scholarship
MILLARD
Millard North High School
Meghna Adduri, Principal Financial Group Scholarship
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Reach Jenna Ebbers at 402-473-2657 or jebbers@journalstar.com.
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