2023 National Merit Semifinalists

BSD Again Idaho's Top School District for National Merit Semifinalists
Posted on 09/15/2022
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News Release
For Immediate Release

Boise School District Is Again Idaho's Top District For National Merit Semifinalists

Boise, ID -- (9/15/2022) -- Officials from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) have announced the names of Idaho students selected as Semifinalists in the 68th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program. A total of 38 students from the Boise School District (the most of any Idaho school district) have been selected as Semifinalists, which represents 41% of Idaho's total number of 2023 National Merit Semifinalists (93). That's an impressive showing considering Boise School District enrolls approximately 7% of Idaho's  public school students.

 

“Congratulations to the students who have earned recognition as a National Semifinalist and honored for their academic ability. And, thank you to the teachers and families who have supported them,” said Boise School District Superintendent Coby Dennis. “Access to a high-quality education and the belief that every child can succeed are critical to preparing students for success in life after high school.”

 

These students are among more than 16,000 Semifinalists across the country who now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

 

High school juniors entered the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

 

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

 

From the more than 16,000 Semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are

selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

 

Boise School District's Semifinalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program are pictured below in alphabetical order listed by last name.

Sophie Broderick

Boise High School

Luke Bousfield

Timberline High School

Elsa Coulam

Boise High School

Estrella Deanda

Boise High School

Elsa Deutsch

Boise High School

Evan Divittorio

Boise High School

Quinn Faris

Boise High School

Daniel Fernandez

Capital High School

Ryan Fonken

Boise High School

Stephen Gaborsky

Timberline High School

Colin Hanrahan

Boise High School

Kai D. Hatten

Timberline High School

Justin He

Timberline High School

Leo Jamboretz

Boise High School

Charles Johnson

Boise High School

Andrew M. Kading

Boise High School

Perry Kemper

Boise High School

Jackson Kiehlbauch

Boise High School

Esha Kusuma

Timberline High School

Sandra D. Luo

Timberline High School

Jieming Mei

Timberline High School

Donelle K. Nalder

Borah High School

Clara B. Ness

Timberline High School

Kaisa Nilsson

Boise High School

Sarah Palmer

Boise High School

Tobias J. Pfleger

Boise High School

Shiva A. Rajbhandari

Boise High School

Ani R. Rice

Timberline High School

Jessica L. Rice

Timberline High School

Sabrina Schatz

Boise High School

Kate Steffen

Timberline High School

Wency Suo

Boise High School

Pawani Surthi

Timberline High School

Jackson Timmel

Boise High School

Erik A. Tomten

Boise High School

Caroline Turcke

Boise High School

Zi Hong Bo Wang

Boise High School

Damon E. Wargo

Boise High School 

 

About Boise School District 

Boise School District is a high-performing, nationally-recognized, comprehensive public school system focused on preparing students for success in college, career and citizenship.

 

We are a district of approximately 23,000 students and employ 4,300 people, of whom 1,700 are certified staff. In the district, there are 33 elementary schools, 8 junior high schools, and 5 senior high schools. We offer a variety of specialized programs, from Montessori, Dual Language, Classical, International, Harbor, Full-Day and Highly Gifted programs at elementary, District-wide Full-Day Kindergarten, to the Treasure Valley Math and Science Center, Dennis Career & Technical Center, and the state’s preeminent Advanced Placement program at the secondary level.

 

In the Boise School District, you will find:

 

  • commitment to college and career readiness
  • preparation for an increasingly global society, through the development of creativity and thinking skills with an emphasis on integration of technology
  • a safe and secure learning environment
  • caring and compassionate staff committed to providing the best education for each and every child
  • opportunities for meaningful parental involvement
  • dedication to our core values of respect, dignity, honesty, responsibility and teamwork.

 

Discover how Boise School District is Educating Today for a Better Tomorrow at www.boiseschools.org