Three Idaho Falls Students Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Three students from Idaho Falls School District 91 have been named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program: Isaac Kingma of Idaho Falls High School, Audrey McCartin of Compass Academy, and Benjamin Bazcuk of Skyline High School.
Idaho Falls Pocatello, ID, October 13, 2026 — Three students from Idaho Falls School District 91 have achieved recognition as semifinalists in the prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program. The students, representing three different high schools within the district, are Isaac Kingma from Idaho Falls High School, Audrey McCartin from Compass Academy, and Benjamin Bazcuk from Skyline High School.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is a highly competitive academic competition that recognizes and honors academically talented high school students across the United States. Each year, more than 1.5 million juniors in over 21,000 high schools enter the program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The program identifies students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for college success.
Students are selected as semifinalists based on their scores on the PSAT/NMSQT. These semifinalists represent less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors. To advance to the finalist level, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements, including an application that details their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and employment experiences. They must also write an essay and earn high scores on their SAT or ACT exams.
Approximately 15,000 students are expected to advance as Finalists. From the Finalist group, some 7,500 students will be selected to receive National Merit Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded in the spring and can vary in value. The program provides significant financial assistance and national recognition for outstanding academic achievement.
The inclusion of Kingma, McCartin, and Bazcuk as semifinalists highlights their dedication to academic excellence and their strong performance on standardized tests. Their achievement places them among the nation’s top academic performers and marks a significant milestone in their educational journeys. Further recognition and scholarship opportunities may follow as the program progresses through its stages toward selecting the final award recipients.
Story summarized from the original created by Maile Sipraseuth on localnews8.com, see more information here.
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