OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Ten academically talented students from the School District of Osceola County have been named semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, placing them among less than 1% of high school seniors nationwide.
The students will now have an opportunity to advance in the competition for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships valued at more than $24 million. The scholarships are expected to be awarded beginning in the spring of 2027.
Osceola County’s semifinalists are:
- Gustavo Costa — Celebration High School
- John Crutchfield — NeoCity Academy
- Jefferson Hsieh — Tohopekaliga High School
- Kyoungbin Lee — Celebration High School
- Caitlyn Lungstrum — Osceola County School for the Arts
- Gavin Ramos — NeoCity Academy
- Sakura Takehara — NeoCity Academy
- Francesca Tamano — Tohopekaliga High School
- Derrick Tayler — NeoCity Academy
- Avery Wilson — Celebration High School
Students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, commonly known as the PSAT/NMSQT, and meeting the program’s eligibility and participation requirements.
Approximately 16,000 students across the country were selected as semifinalists, with about 15,000 expected to advance to the finalist level. Students will be notified of their finalist status in February.
Merit Scholar recipients are selected based on their academic abilities, accomplishments and potential for success in demanding college studies.
Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in spring 2027. Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships awarded on a state-representational basis.
Approximately 700 corporate-sponsored scholarships will also be offered by about 120 businesses and organizations to finalists who meet specific eligibility criteria. In addition, roughly 140 colleges and universities are expected to provide approximately 3,500 scholarships to finalists planning to attend a sponsoring institution.
Diez estudiantes de Osceola nombrados semifinalistas del Programa Nacional de Becas al Mérito
CONDADO DE OSCEOLA, Fla. — Diez estudiantes académicamente destacados del Distrito Escolar del Condado de Osceola fueron nombrados semifinalistas del Programa Nacional de Becas al Mérito 2027, colocándolos entre menos del 1% de los estudiantes de último año de secundaria de todo el país.
Los estudiantes tendrán ahora la oportunidad de avanzar en la competencia por aproximadamente 6,700 Becas Nacionales al Mérito, valoradas en conjunto en más de $24 millones. Las becas comenzarán a otorgarse durante la primavera de 2027.
Los semifinalistas del Condado de Osceola son:
- Gustavo Costa — Celebration High School
- John Crutchfield — NeoCity Academy
- Jefferson Hsieh — Tohopekaliga High School
- Kyoungbin Lee — Celebration High School
- Caitlyn Lungstrum — Osceola County School for the Arts
- Gavin Ramos — NeoCity Academy
- Sakura Takehara — NeoCity Academy
- Francesca Tamano — Tohopekaliga High School
- Derrick Tayler — NeoCity Academy
- Avery Wilson — Celebration High School
Los estudiantes participan en el Programa Nacional de Becas al Mérito al presentar el Examen Preliminar de Aptitud Académica/Examen Calificador para la Beca Nacional al Mérito, conocido como PSAT/NMSQT, y cumplir con los requisitos de elegibilidad y participación del programa.
Aproximadamente 16,000 estudiantes de todo el país fueron seleccionados como semifinalistas y se espera que cerca de 15,000 avancen a la categoría de finalistas. Los estudiantes serán notificados sobre su clasificación en febrero.
Los beneficiarios de las Becas al Mérito son seleccionados de acuerdo con sus capacidades académicas, logros y potencial para alcanzar el éxito en estudios universitarios exigentes.
Durante la primavera de 2027 se ofrecerán tres tipos de Becas Nacionales al Mérito. Todos los finalistas competirán por una de las 2,500 becas National Merit de $2,500, otorgadas con representación proporcional por estado.
También se ofrecerán aproximadamente 700 becas patrocinadas por cerca de 120 empresas y organizaciones a los finalistas que cumplan con criterios específicos. Además, se espera que unas 140 instituciones de educación superior proporcionen aproximadamente 3,500 becas a los finalistas que tengan previsto asistir a una institución patrocinadora.
