Minooka High School senior Ethan Conquest has been named a commended student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.

He will be presented with a letter of commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, and he’s one of 34,000 commended students from across the country.

According to a Monday news release, these students do not continue in the 2026 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, but they are considered in the top 50,000 students who entered the competition by taking the qualifying standardized tests.

“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”