Eleven Belen Jesuit Preparatory School seniors have been named Commended Students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) of which six have advanced to the semifinals.
The 2020 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists are Stephen A. Brennan, Matthew J. Bryan, Tomas De La Huerta, Rafael Queiroz, Esteban S. Rincon and Michael Ruiz. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $31 million that will be offered next spring.
“These students are leaders in their class and have worked very hard to achieve such an honor,” said school principal Jose E. Roca (Class of 1984). “Their dedication to their academics and community exemplify our motto of being men for others. We wish them luck as they continue in the process and congratulate the other young men that were commended.”
The commended students are Domingo A. Cortinez, Christopher A. Krause, Alfredo I. Melgar, Nicolas J. Poveda and Juan M. Ulloa.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) — which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.6 million entrants each year — and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.
