More than one dozen Tucson-area students have been named National Merit Scholarship winners.Â
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the last group of college-sponsored scholarship winners Monday.Â
College-sponsored awards range from $500 to $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study.Â
Local winners include: Ayla S. Gooden of Mountain View High School, Ryan A. Larson and Matthew D. Mitchell of Ironwood Ridge High School, Skye M. Uldrich of Pusch Ridge Christian Academy, Simone Estelle Brown, Gordon W. Downs, Megan C. Gillespie and Ruby M. Kerwin of University High School, Swati Chandra, Paul M. Cuillier and Alexander J. Poelstra of Basis, Michelle M. Jaquette of Catalina Foothills High School, Daniel E. Streeter of Sonoran Science Academy - Davis-Monthan and Michael J. Yuhas V of Canyon del Oro High School.Â
Students took the Preliminary SAT as a screener before approximately 16,000 semifinalists were named. The semifinalists were the highest-scoring program entrants in each state.
To become finalists, students had to complete a detailed scholarship application showing an outstanding academic record and be endorsed and recommended by a high school official. They also had to take the SAT and earn scores that confirmed their performance on the initial qualifying test.
About 15,000 students were named finalists and more than half were chosen to receive National Merit scholarships.
