EVANSTON, Ill. — Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) on Wednesday announced the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 59th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth about $35 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 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win a scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.
California semifinalists include, alphabetically by city:
Albany — Naomi M. Hamada, Albany High School
Atherton — Hidehiro Anto, Menlo School
Belmont — Alex T. Kumamoto, Carlmont High School
Diamond Bar — Sean E. Kitayama, Diamond Bar High School
Fremont — Jocelyn Tanaka, Mission San Jose High School
Irvine — Momo Enokida, San Joaquin High School; Yuta Okamoto, University High School
Manhattan Beach — Austin T. Yamada, Mira Costa High School
Newport Beach — Cayla K. Yasukochi, Corona Del Mar High School
North Hollywood — David C. Kawashima, North Hollywood High School
Pleasanton — Brian K. Shimanuki, Amador Valley High School
Redlands — Michael C. Oshiro, Redlands East Valley High School
Reseda — Yutaro C. Nakamura, Reseda High School
Rolling Hills Estates — Stacey S. Dojiri, Yuri S. Motoyama, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
Sacramento — Kenji K. Anzai, Rio Americano High School
San Jose — Erika B. Kawaguchi, Archbishop Mitty High School
San Mateo — Yuki Chin, Aragon High School
Torrance — Theodore W. Akiyama, South High School
Turlock — Michi C. Kirihara, John H. Pitman High School
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.
For more information, visit www.nationalmerit.org.