LEXINGTON, S.C. — Twelve seniors from Lexington County School District One have been named semifinalists in the prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program. These students are now in the running for substantial scholarship awards, placing them among the top 1% of high school seniors across the nation.
The Lexington One semifinalists include:
- Lexington High School: Lauren Sailer, Ava Kanitkar, Jackson Winston, Jesse Oates, William Robles and Mary Carpenter
- River Bluff High School: Chandler Perry, Alexander Zeigler, Vaishnavi Sarikonda, Anne Zou, John Gardner and Raghav Pallapothu
The National Merit Scholarship Program evaluates students based on test scores, teacher recommendations, community service, and personal essays. These exceptional seniors will now compete for approximately 7,600 National Merit Scholarships, totaling over $30 million.
In February 2025, about 90% of the 16,000 nationwide semifinalists will advance to finalist status, with half of those receiving a National Merit Scholarship. Available scholarships include $2,500 National Merit Scholarships, college-sponsored awards ranging from $500 to $2,000 annually, and corporate-sponsored scholarships.
