Six Contra Costa County Seniors Awarded Corporate-Sponsored National Merit Scholarships
PLEASANT HILL, CA—Celebrating academic excellence, six seniors from four Contra Costa County high schools have been recognized as winners in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These students are among about 770 distinguished high school seniors nationwide announced in the first National Merit Scholars group for 2024.
“These six high school seniors stand out for their exceptional academic achievements and well-rounded accomplishments,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. “Their dedication and hard work, supported by the encouragement of their families, have earned them this distinguished honor. I also want to thank the teachers and support staff whose commitment and guidance nurtured the talents of these high achieving students.”
The recipients of National Merit Corporate-Sponsored Scholarships attend the following Contra Costa Schools: Campolindo High School (1), Dougherty Valley High School (3), Miramonte High School (1), and Monte Vista High School (1). The scholars were chosen as part of the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Sponsored by corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations, these scholarships are designed to assist students who are either children of employees, residents of communities served by the company/funder, or are pursuing college majors and careers that align with the sponsor's objectives.
Scholarship winners were chosen from a group of students who had reached the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met the criteria established by their scholarship sponsors. Most of the awards are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study and offer annual stipends ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, or a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000.
High school juniors entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, marking the beginning of their journey towards this prestigious recognition. In September 2023, 114 Contra Costa County students were honored as National Merit Semifinalists, representing the highest-scoring program entrants in California, and comprising less than one percent of the nation’s seniors.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
CAMPOLINDO HIGH SCHOOL
Laurel K. Tringe
DOUGHERTY VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Ansh Maroo
Elaine Peng
Neal Y. Yan
MIRAMONTE HIGH SCHOOL
Alexander Poe Battersby
MONTE VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Alan Fang
Merit Scholars are selected based on their academic skills, extracurricular achievements, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. More information about the National Merit Scholarship program can be found online at https://www.nationalmerit.org/.
According to The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, by the conclusion of this year’s competition, over 6,870 Finalists will receive National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million. Additional recipients of National Merit® $2500 Scholarships will be announced on May 8, followed by winners of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards on June 5 and July 15.
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About Contra Costa County Office of Education
One of 58 counties in California, Contra Costa County (CCCOE) has the 11th largest public-school student population in the state (approximately 169,225 students). Officially established in 1932, CCCOE has a long history of providing direct services to some of our county's most vulnerable students, including young people who are incarcerated, homeless, or in foster care, as well as students who have severe physical or emotional challenges.
CCCOE also provides support services to schools and school districts in Contra Costa County; services that can be handled most effectively and economically on a regional basis rather than by each of the county's 286 schools or 18 school districts. These services range from budget approval and fiscal support to technology infrastructure, communication support, and high-level professional development opportunities for educators. CCCOE maintains a website at www.cocoschools.org.