Four students from OHS were announced as semi-finalists in the National Merit Scholarship program for their high scores on the qualifying test.

Seniors Clarisse Caliman, Alex Mathews, Charles Meyer, and Stephen Ream are four of the 16,000 students selected as semi-finalists. They now have the chance to be selected as a finalist and then can compete for the National Merit college scholarship. Many colleges offer full-ride scholarships for national merit finalists.

The National Merit program opens up numerous opportunities for those who are selected. Before Mathews was selected as a semi-finalist, he planned on attending college in Missouri. After he found out he was selected, he feels that the National Merit program has “opened [his] college horizons” to schools other than Missouri.

The semi-finalists will find out in February if they have made the final cut of 15,000. In order to advance to the finalist stage of the competition, students will have to fill out an application as well as keep up their grades and have had them consistent throughout their high school career. The semi-finalists also take the SAT to confirm their high scores that they achieved on the PSAT.

Seniors Emily Goeke, Michael Wiethop, and Robin Niewoehner have also been recognized by the National Merit program as commended students for their high scores on the PSAT.

Being recognized by the National Merit Scholarship program is a “prestigious honor,” says Oakville High School principal Jan Kellerman, and that it is “a testament to the hard work and dedication of these four students.”

Although these students are serious and dedicated to their schooling and studies, they are still keeping it light as best evidenced by Meyer who says that the “semi-finalists are pretty and smart, pretty smart.”