Three Batavia High School students named National Merit Scholarship program semifinalists

BATAVIA – Three Batavia High School students have been named semifinalists in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program.

According to a news release from the school district, Nicholas Fortino, Ryan Holden and Avanthi Obadage were three of 16,000 semifinalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

The three high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for one of 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million that will be offered next spring, the release stated.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 95 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, the release stated.

According to the news release, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a nonprofit that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship program.

Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 400 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence, the release stated.