This year's National Merit Finalists were recognized at the Board of Education meeting on April 13, 2023.
Published April 17, 2023
Seventy-five High School District 214 students have been honored as National Merit Scholarship Finalists or College Board National Recognition Program Scholars.
The National Merit Scholarship Program, conducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation, is an annual academic competition for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships. The competition is open to all U.S. high school students who meet published participation requirements. Scholarship winners are chosen on the basis of their abilities, skills, and accomplishments.
District 214 National Merit Finalists are Andrew Hoang, Katelyn Lee and Audrey Yang from Buffalo Grove High School; James Patrick Waters from Elk Grove High School; Mason Bae, Aidan Gazda, Julia Hinman, Johannes Milaniak and Anastasia Smirnova from John Hersey High School; and Luke Bielawski, Adhira Darapaneni, Asmitha Darapaneni, Artem Khaiet, Thomas Kim, Kevin Lynch, Luc Neacy and Jonah Wannebo from Prospect High School.
The College Board National Recognition Programs create pathways to college for underrepresented students, which includes African American, Hispanic and Indigenous scholars. Students with this honor scored in the top 10% of PSAT test takers in Illinois, earned a score of 3 or higher in two or more AP exams and have a 3.5 GPA or higher.
College Board National Recognition Program Scholars are:
Buffalo Grove High School: Milagros Amesquita, Ellie Askew, Christine Cabrera, Leonardo Garcia, Gael Montesinos and John Valentin
Elk Grove High School: Fatima Avila, Keyana Bates, Annabella Bellatti, Choongsung Carrera , Adam Kingery, Stephanie Marin, Krishna Martinez, Jose Medrano, Nina Mendez, Tanya Rivera, David Sanchez, Adassa Vazquez and Sylvia Witkowski
John Hersey High School: Maya Andrews, Estefany Cardenas Estrada, Julia Cardenas Estrada, Yair Contla, Giavana Gonzalez, Mateo Gurria, Rebeca Pelluz Otero and James Shaffer
Prospect High School: Matthew Bonilla, Michelle Carbajal-Hernandez, Elise Gadson, Gregory Louis, Lauren Harrell, Emma Letzig, Emily Naveja, Ivan Ramirez and Mia Schmitt
Rolling Meadows High School: Kelly Cruz, Lucien Harris, Catherine James, Colin Portillo, Giuliana Rodrigues, Nicol Barragan Romero, Karla Sanchez and Alexander Grajales Viveros
Wheeling High School: Sallaria Ansong, Brandon Claudio, Bruno Diaz, Kayleen Golden, Vianeth Guerrero, Melissa Hernandez, Andrea Lima, Richard Miranda, Irais Montoya, Sophia Quintero, Maria Rodriguez, Alessandro Ramos Vargas, Bianca Zacatenco and Yuliana Zavala
These College Board National Recognition Program Scholars scored in the top 10% of PSAT test takers in Illinois, earned a score of 3 or higher in two or more AP exams and have a 3.5 GPA or higher.
