6 Tucson-area teens are National Merit Scholarship winners

 Six Tucson-area teens have been named National Merit Scholars.

The students won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards financed by corporations, company foundations and other business organizations.

Most of the awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate student and provide stipends ranging from $500 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000.

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The local winners are: Travis W. Dobbin of Canyon del Oro High School, Mark W. Cai of Catalina Foothills High School, Lillian M. Clark of University High School, Peyton R. Lewis and Christopher J. O’Connor of Salpointe Catholic High School, and Benjamin E. Manninen of The Gregory School.

Students entered the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT, which served as an initial screener. The highest-scoring students in each state were named semifinalists. From the semifinalist group, about 15,000 advanced to the finalist level, which will be narrowed down to about 7,500 winners judged as having the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies.