Arkansas Celebrates 135 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced the names of 16,000 semifinalists across the nation for the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program, and Arkansas is proud to have 135 of its high school seniors among this prestigious group.
Maumelle Charter High School and Jenks High School Lead the Way
Maumelle Charter High School’s Ethan Chen and 15 students from Jenks High School are among the semifinalists. Jenks High School has achieved this distinction for the 14th time in 16 years, making it a hub for academically talented students in the Tulsa area.
Little Rock and North Little Rock Represented
Students from Little Rock Central High School, including Geethika Atluri, Yassin Bahgat, Lasya Buddha, and Benjamin Casciano, join the ranks of semifinalists. In North Little Rock, Jonah Pulliam became the first student from the district to achieve this feat since 2021. Pulliam’s academic achievements include a perfect score on the P-SAT and ACT.
What’s Next for the Semifinalists?
To proceed to the Finalist level, these students must fulfill several requirements. With approximately 95% of semifinalists expected to become Finalists, they will then compete for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly million, to be announced between April and July 2025.
This achievement opens a wide range of opportunities for these students, providing them with a strong foundation for their future academic pursuits and scholarship prospects.