Boise, ID --09/19/2024 -- The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) has announced the Semifinalists for the 70th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program, and once again, the Boise School District stands out as Idaho’s top-performing district. A total of 28 Boise School District students have been named National Merit Semifinalists, representing 27% of the state's total Semifinalists (103) – the most from any district in Idaho. This is particularly impressive given that the Boise School District enrolls just 7% of Idaho's public school students.

“We are incredibly proud of this year’s 28 National Merit Semifinalists and their remarkable academic achievements,” said Boise School District Superintendent Lisa Roberts. “Having 27% of Idaho's National Merit Semifinalists come from our district, while we enroll only 7% of the state's public school students, is a clear testament to the academic excellence within the Boise School District.”

Superintendent Roberts continued, “This recognition not only showcases the exceptional talent of our students but also reflects our district’s strong commitment to delivering a high-quality, comprehensive public education. Our dedicated and talented staff work every day to create a student-centered learning environment where every child has the opportunity to thrive. We are devoted to fostering a supportive and inclusive culture of learning, where each student feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. These accomplishments speak to that commitment, and we look forward to all the great things these students will achieve in the future.”

Below are the names of the Boise School District's Semifinalists for the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program, listed alphabetically by last name.

Akhtar, Naira

Timberline High School

Belhadj, Youssef

Capital High School

Bolick, Owen

Boise High School

Boyce, Caleb

Boise High School

Chen, Ethan

Boise High School

Dale, Grace

Timberline High School

Edwards, Maibre

Timberline High School

Eichberg, Reid

Boise High School

Gallafent, Benjamin

Timberline High School

Garcia-Buenrostro, Sophia Capital High School

Gibbons, Addison

Capital High School

Hansen, Logan

Borah High School

Huff, Yuji

Timberline High School

Jones, Zachary

Boise High School

Kim, Katherine

Timberline High School

Lane, Carly

Boise High School

Lehn, Pierre-Johann

Timberline High School

Loo, Jayden

Timberline High School

Lu, Jalen

Timberline High School

Mikkola, Torsten

Timberline High School

Porter, Paige

Timberline High School

Schwartz, Raymond

Capital High School

Shen, Yvonne

Boise High School

Steffen, McLaren

Timberline High School

Stoll, Sascha

Boise High School

Tamano, Towako

Timberline High School

Turcke, Alison

Boise High School

Wood, Bryce

Borah High School

About National Merit Scholarship Program

Boise School District's National Merit Semifinalists are among more than 16,000 Semifinalists across the country who now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 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.

More than 1.3 million high school juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 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.

About Boise School District 

Boise School District (BSD) is a high-performing, nationally recognized public school system consisting of 33 elementary schools, 8 junior high schools, and 6 senior high schools, including Boise Online Secondary School, serving approximately 22,500 students.



Dedicated to creating tomorrow’s leaders, our highly educated and passionate staff provide a high-quality education that prepares each student for success in college, career, and life. We offer a student-focused learning model with a variety of specialized programs, including free Full-Day Kindergarten, Pre-K, Montessori, Dual Language, Boise Online School (Boise Online Elementary School and Boise Online Secondary School), Full-Day and Highly Gifted elementary programs, the Treasure Valley Math and Science Center, Dennis Technical Center, and the state’s leading Advanced Placement program.

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