9 Montclair High School students named National Merit semifinalists

Nine Montclair High School students were named as semifinalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

The district provided the names of seven of the nine semifinalists: Callum Cavallaro, Rosalind Chang, Logan Driever, Aidan Gideon, Liam Kearns, Elsa Taylor-Lillquist and Sylvie Wurmser. The two others declined to have their names released.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation officials announced the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists Sept. 14, according to a National Merit press release. The group represents less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors, the release says. 

The nine Montclair seniors entered the 2023 scholarship program by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, the “initial screen of program entrants,” the release says. 

To become a finalist, Montclair High School administrators and the semifinalists must submit scholarship applications with information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. 

More than 15,000 of the semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level, and in February they will be notified of the designation, the website says. Approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.

Three Montclair High School students were named as semifinalists in 2021.