National Merit Scholarship Program Honors CPS Students

A total of 16 members of the class of 2006 have been named Commended Students and 21 current seniors have been honored as Semifinalists in the 2006 Scholarship Competition.

As semifinalists, these exceptional students placed among the top 1% of California high-school students who took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in their junior year. This award allows these students to continue on in the competition for Merit Scholarships to be granted next spring.

Commended Students join approximately 34,000 students throughout the nation to be recognized for exceptional academic promise. Commended Students place among the top five percent of more than one million students who entered the 2006 competition for National Merit Scholarships by taking the 2004 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

A spokesperson for the National Merit Program commented, “It is important to acknowledge the attainments of academically talented students and to credit schools for the key role they play in their development. We hope the recognition received by these able young men and women who are commended in this rigorous, nationwide competition will encourage them to take advantage of higher education and to diligently pursue their professional goals.”


The Semifinalists from Alameda County are: Samuel A., Zoe B., Katherine C., Alexander C., Phoebe J., Rayna L., Alan R., Joshua L. , Katherine R., Charles S. and Meghan W.  The Commended students from Alameda County are: Samuel D., Leo G., Daniel H.,  Marley L., Noble M., Seth R., Sarah S., Diana T.,  Dana V. and Nathan W.


The Semifinalists from Contra Costa County are: Anupam B., Noah B., Lauren B., Ryan D., Liza F., Chelsea K., Kunal R., Eric S., Christina V. and Neal Y. The Commended students from Contra Costa County are: Sebastian C.,  Shalini D., Julia M., Aparna P., Benjamin S. and  Elias Z.