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Five Fenwick Students Qualify as 2021 National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalists

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) has announced those students who have qualified as semi-finalists in this year’s Merit competition. Fenwick High School is pleased to report that it has five seniors who have qualified for this honor. 
“These seniors now move on to the next phase of the contest,” explains Emily Anderson, one of Fenwick’s College Counselors. Fellow College Counselor Igho Oraka ’03 adds, “Congratulations to them -- and best wishes in the continuing competition!” The five semifinalists, with cities of residence and grade schools, are:

  • Donna Carinato – Western Springs, McClure Middle School
  • Anna Dray – Elmhurst, Immaculate Conception
  • Ronan Kristufek – Western Springs, McClure Middle School
  • Daniel Majcher – Chicago, Keystone Montessori
  • Daniel Westerman – River Forest, St. Luke’s
These academically talented seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $30 million, to be announced between April and July 2021. A semi-finalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

66th Annual Merit Scholarship Program

For Merit Scholarship award consideration, semi-finalists must fulfill several requirements and advance to the Finalist level of the competition, according to NMSC. For each Semi-finalist, the Fenwick administration will submit a detailed application providing information about the student’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. More than 90% of Semi-finalists can expect to attain Finalist standing, NMSC reports.

Scholarships are under-written by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 410 business organizations as well as higher-educational institutions. Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered next spring. Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships awarded on a state-representational basis. Approximately 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by 220 corporations and business organizations for Finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor’s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. In addition, some 180 colleges and universities are expected to finance 4,100 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.

Based in Evanston, NMSC is a not-for-profit organization that has awarded scholarships to more than 350,000 deserving students since it was established in 1955.

Additionally, the following five Fenwick seniors have received College Board National recognition: Anisa Dominguez (Elmhurst, Immaculate Conception); Paulina Harnisch (River Forest, Ascension Catholic School); Andres Sanchez (Orland Park, Brooks Middle School); Delaney Seligmann (Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills Middle School); and Beau Vanderlaan (Oak Park, Brooks Middle School).
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