13 Students Named National Merit® Scholarship Finalists

What does receiving this award mean to you?
I’m honored to have received this award. It really shows how the hard work and support of my family, who have been there for me from the start, have paid off.

How does this award impact your future plans?
This award has opened many new opportunities for me through scholarships. It has also helped me prove to myself that I can achieve the goals that I set for myself, encouraging me to set my sights higher in the future.

Who has helped you along the way?
Both my friends and teachers have been a great help along the way, but I think my mom has had the most influence on me. I’m thankful that she has supported me in every way possible to help me achieve my goals while also setting an amazing example for me, exemplifying what perseverance and dedication look like.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
Success can mean different things to different people. Find what you are passionate about and pursue it. It may not always be calculus or literary analysis, but it will allow you to reach your full potential.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
This award means a lot to me because it is very prestigious and receiving it makes me proud of myself.

How does this award impact your future plans?
It gives me good money to go to college and pursue my dreams.

Who has helped you along the way?
My Mother, my teachers, and some of my friends.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
Make sure to maintain close relationships with your teachers because they really help you a lot throughout this process.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
It means a lot because it represents all my hard academic work from over the years.

How does this award impact your future plans?
I was planning on going to Iowa State, and since I got National Merit Scholar, I am still going to go to Iowa State but for less money. I’m probably going to do a master’s program now.

Who has helped you along the way?
My parents, siblings, and my teachers. Also, my friends helped me because they are all hard-working and are committed to improving themselves.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
Do your school work but don’t stress about getting perfect grades or anything.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
For the most part, receiving this award has earned me a full tuition scholarship to Iowa State University.

How does this award impact your future plans?
With the scholarships I received, I will be able to afford a master’s program in aerospace engineering on top of my bachelor’s degree.

Who has helped you along the way?
Some people that have helped along the way are my siblings, my elementary ELP teacher Ms. Hansen, and my choir director Jeff Knutson.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
It’s not advertised as much, but the PSAT can matter 100x more than your ACT test, so be sure to take it and prep for it.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
Receiving this award means so much to me because it reflects my hard work over the years up to this point. I am grateful to be recognized at the national level!

How does this award impact your future plans?
This award has directly impacted my plans, as it has led to me deciding to attend the University of Alabama on a National Merit Scholarship. This award has opened opportunities for me to continue my higher education and allows me to continue to pursue my dreams and passions.

Who has helped you along the way?
Firstly, my parents have been my #1 supporters throughout my entire life. Without them, I would not be where I am today, and I am eternally grateful for everything they have provided and sacrificed for me. My teachers have also helped significantly, including my ELP teachers in elementary and middle school (Mrs. Laird and Mrs. Wouters). Their support helped guide me on the right path toward success!

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
Keep working hard, study, and have your priorities straight. Maintaining a good balance between school, extracurriculars, family, and friends is crucial. Time management is vital, but it is a valuable lesson to learn, and you will benefit from it in the future! Take advantage of these years to explore different activities and classes to find what makes you happy and fulfilled.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
I think this award is something that symbolizes my hard work and it was always some sort of motivation for me to work hard in school so it feels rewarding to be able to call myself one of the finalists.

How does this award impact your future plans?
This award will give me a scholarship which I will be able to put towards my college tuition.

Who has helped you along the way?
The people who have helped me the most throughout high school have been my parents. They have always been the people who push me the hardest and to my full potential. They are the ones who have taught me the value of hard work.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
I think the most important things I have learned are to take classes that you will enjoy and that interest you, to make meaningful connections with the great teachers in our district, and to always set goals that will push you to work for them.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
This award means the world to me. As the culmination of my academic success, getting National Merit was like a dream come true.

How does this award impact your future plans?
In addition to strengthening my college applications, this award has also provided me with scholarships at schools I could be attending.

Who has helped you along the way?
My parents have always supported me in furthering my education, and my school and friends have proved invaluable in pushing me to my highest potential.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
I would give the advice that studying for the PSAT and thus getting recognition from NMSQT is well worth your time and effort.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
I am not sure I did anything to deserve this, but I appreciate it anyway.

How does this award impact your future plans?
It indirectly gives me money, by giving me an advantage in scholarships.

Who has helped you along the way?
My family, friends, and cat have been there for me.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
Don’t put so much stock in your grades, and your test scores. They won’t matter in the long run. Instead, worry about making friends, about your extracurriculars, about taking your breakfast outside in the mornings and breathing in the sunshine. That’s what matters in life.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
For me, this award provides validation for all the work I’ve put in through the years. It demonstrates to me that all my hard work has paid off, and has inspired me to continue working hard in college.

How does this award impact your future plans?
A lot of colleges provide scholarships based on becoming a National Merit Finalist which is a major consideration for me as I look for my next steps. While I haven’t decided 100% where I want to go, the opportunities this award has opened for me will play a major role in my decision.

Who has helped you along the way?
The biggest credit goes to my parents who have instilled in me a strong work ethic and the idea of preserving throughout any problems that may arise. Additionally, my teachers throughout the years have greatly influenced me by continuously pushing me to excel and providing valuable assistance in my journey throughout high school.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
On the journey toward your goals, if you let others help you and be willing to work hard, you can accomplish anything.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
To me, this award is sort of a summation of the years of work I’ve put into my academics since starting high school (and really before then). Even though I generally don’t like to measure my progress with exterior awards/achievements, it is nice to end my high school career with a capstone like this.

How does this award impact your future plans?
This award is impactful to me as I start to finalize my future plans and select a college. Several of the colleges I am considering offer significant scholarships to people who achieve National Merit Finalist status, and I feel like this achievement has opened up a number of opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Beyond that, it is definitely something that might look good on a resume or application and I’m sure it’s also helpful in that way.

Who has helped you along the way?
The biggest help has come from my parents and all of the teachers I’ve had during my time in the district. All of these people have done a fantastic job creating an environment that encourages people to succeed and keep striving for bigger and better things. Without the resources, faculty, and parents we have in this district and at Northwest in particular, I am certain that we as a school would not have seen the same amount of success (i.e. having so many Finalists).

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
I think that it is important to not focus too much on the tangible representations of academic success, whether that be the National Merit program or even just a grade in a class. If you focus on improving from wherever you are and trying to become the best version of yourself, you will have just as much success without all of the additional stress and pressure that an outside goal can put on you. Other than that, just take advantage of all of the resources and opportunities that you have as a student in the district. Our faculty make it relatively easy to succeed academically and reach these kinds of achievements if you’re willing to apply yourself and proactively seek out opportunity.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
This award means a lot to me. It was a great way to honor the hard work I did throughout my life. Getting recognized for hard work is always incredibly satisfying.

How does this award impact your future plans?
A college education would be greatly beneficial for a future career, so with the scholarship that comes with this recognition, it makes this expensive college journey more affordable.

Who has helped you along the way?
My parents, teachers, and fellow friends have always motivated and inspired me to work my hardest, and let the results follow.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
Figure out the things you love to do. And when you find it, do anything you can to engage in it. Look to challenge yourself, and always look to improve. Don’t do things for the sake of results or recognition. Do things because you love them, and everything else will follow.

What does receiving this award mean to you?
Receiving this award has shown me that my hard work in school has paid off.

How does this award impact your future plans?
This award will help me finance my higher education as I received a full tuition scholarship at Iowa State University.

Who has helped you along the way?
My mother has been my biggest supporter.  Without her, I would not have even known the PSAT existed and missed out on this opportunity.

What advice would you give to future high school students in our district?
I would tell future high school students to take advantage of any opportunity they get, no matter how small it seems.  I did not think the PSAT was a big deal but it ended up saving my family over $40,000.