Loveland students at CHCA Scott Burk and Christopher Swedes named National Merit Semifinalists

Matthew Onadeko, Adam Jutt, Megan Stotz, Scott Burk, Christopher Swedes (Provided Photo)

Symmes Township, Ohio –  Dr. Dean Nicholas, Assistant Head of School of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, announced that Scott Burk (of Loveland), Adam Jutt (of Mason), Matthew Onadeko (of Mason), Christopher Swedes (of Loveland), and Megan Stotz (of Mason) have been named National Merit Semifinalists. A certificate from the National Merit Scholarship Cooperation will be presented to these students at CHCA’s Academic Awards Night in May 2020.

These academically talented high school seniors now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. Over 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and more than half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.

Over 1.5 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and rewards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, and write an essay.

“We are so excited to announce these students as National Merit Semifinalists,” shared Nicholas. “They are not only excellent students and scholars, but well-rounded examples of everything we aspire to be at CHCA. As students, musicians, athletes, servant leaders, and peoples of faith, they move us forward as a community!”