Nine students named 2025 National Merit semifinalists

Seven Kalispell high school students and two Whitefish students have been named National Merit semifinalists for the 2025 school year. 

These students are among 16,000 students to reach semifinalist status in around the U.S., according to a press release. Kalispell students include — Danica Luehr of Flathead High School; Mark Ahner, Samuel Engellant and Jack Syverson of Glacier High School; Carson Miller of Stillwater Christian School and homeschooled student Tirien Bodonyi-Kovacs. Whitefish students are Lincoln and Noah Schroeder, who are homeschooled. 

The high school seniors entered the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying test as juniors. The PSAT/NMSQT serves as the initial screen of entrants.  

More than 15,000 semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level, which will be announced in February. To become a finalist, a semifinalist must submit a detailed application that provides information about the student’s academic record, school and community involvement, leadership abilities, employment and awards received. Additionally, students must have high SAT or ACT scores, write an essay and be recommended by a high school official. 

Finalists will compete for one of 2.500 National Merit $2,500 scholarships, 770 corporate-sponsored scholarships and about 3,800 college-sponsored scholarships. Scholarships winners will be announced between April and July 2025. 

All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from the group of finalists. 

Merit Scholar designations are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.