Spring Branch ISD Featured News

In the fall, nineteen seniors from Spring Branch ISD high schools were named as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Now, all 19 Semifinalists have been named National Merit Scholarship Finalists!

Approximately only 15,000 students nationwide advance to Finalist standing. This year’s Spring Branch ISD Finalists are from Memorial High School (MHS), Spring Branch Academic Institute (SBAI), Stratford High School (SHS) and Westchester Academy for International Studies (WAIS).

2021-2022 National Merit Scholarship Finalists

• Angela Alvarado (WAIS)
• Sophie Czelusta (MHS)
• Cameron Donley (SHS)
• Victoria Gong (MHS)
• Megan Guy (SHS)
• Ahmad Hadidi (MHS)
• Stephen Kang (MHS)
• Avantika Matele (MHS)
• Delaney Polocheck (MHS)
• Chloe Pruett (MHS)
• Joowon Seok (MHS)
• Lena Sugg (MHS)
• Lane VanderVoort (MHS)
• Lauren Wall (MHS)
• Caden Wang (SHS)
• John Weatherly III (SHS)
• Daniel Xu (MHS)
• Alex Yoon (MHS)
• Alex Zhang (SBAI)

Students become eligible for this national scholarship program when they take the PSAT/NMSQT® test as juniors. Semifinalists represent less than 1 percent of the high school graduating class in Texas and rank as the nation’s highest scoring test takers and qualify for consideration as Finalists.

Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements, including completing an application, having a consistently very high academic record, writing an essay, being endorsed and recommended by a school official and taking the SAT® or ACT® and earning a score that confirms the PSAT/NMSQT® performance.

All winners of Merit Scholarship awards are chosen from the Finalist group based on their abilities, skills and accomplishments. Components evaluated include the Finalist's academic record, information about the school's curriculum and grading system, PSAT/NMSQT® Selection Index score, the high school official's written recommendation, information about the student's activities and leadership and the Finalist's own essay.

Congratulations to these students!