Posted: 5/9/2024

Five School District of Palm Beach County students are among the elite group of National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. The winners were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 finalists. The students were noted for having the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, potential for success in rigorous college studies, and outstanding academic records.

The scholarship recipients were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors. They were judged on their academic records, scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, contributions and leadership in school and community activities, essays, and recommendations by a high school official. 

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation finances most of the single-payment $2,500 scholarships. All of the recipients can use their awards at any regionally-accredited U.S. college or university of their choice. 

Congratulations to the following District students for receiving $2,500 National Merit Scholarships for 2024:

• Omar Castillo – Seminole Ridge Community High
• Jacob Liu – A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
• Tobias Smith – Wellington Community High
• Vyapti Shahani Subramaniam – Suncoast Community High
• Jaydan Sumser – Atlantic Community High

Established in 1955, National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. NMSC conducts the National Merit Scholarship Program, an annual academic competition for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships. Since its founding, NMSC has recognized over 3.5 million students and provided some 470,000 scholarships worth over $1.8 billion.