EVANSTON, Ill. — Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) on Sept. 13 announced the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalist in the 63rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring.
Semifinalists must fulfill several requirement to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship.
California semifinalists include (alphabetically by city):
Alhambra: Kailey K. Ogawa-Monroe, Mark Keppel High School
Cupertino: Seiji Otsu, Cupertino High School
Eastvale: Lily Takahari, Eleanor Roosevelt High School
El Segundo: Eamon Ito-Fisher, Vistamar School
Fremont: Isabella P. Morimoto, American High School; Andrew T. Kinoshita, Mission San Jose High School
Huntington Beach: Jessica M. Sakamoto and Akira Suzuki, Huntington Beach High School
La Jolla: Rita M. Kimijima-Dennemeyer, The Bishop’s School
Monrovia: Nathan Nakamura, Monrovia High School
Montebello: Mitchell U. Saisho, Schurr High School
Oakland: Sophia Maxine Kojima, Head-Royce School
Pleasanton: Stacy K. Shimanuki, Amador Valley High School
Rolling Hills Estates: Kai Y. Kato and Miho M. Tanaka, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
Sunnyvale: Hikari N. Sakai, Fremont High School
Thousand Oaks: Ronan Kurata, Thousand Oaks High School
Vacaville: Corey Kato, Vacaville High School
Villa Park: Joseph M. Niizawa, Villa Park High School
For more information, visit www.nationalmerit.org.