Twenty-one Lake Washington School District students have been selected as finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Competition. As finalists, these students are now qualified to receive National Merit Scholarships, including $2,500 awards, corporate-sponsored scholarships or college-sponsored scholarships. About 15,000 students nationally have been named finalists in this competition.

The following students have advanced to finalist status in the National Merit Scholarship Program:

Redmond High School:

• Rachel Ballantyne

• Kieran Beaton

• Briana Gahler

• Kristina Hsu

• Erika John

• Sam Keller

• Kristen Klimisch

• Rebecca Li

• Devin McMahon

• Stefan Mellem

• Thomas Moore

• Kathryn Norton

• Kelly Ren

Eastlake High School:

• Thomas Cools

International Community School:

• Helena Scutt

• Colin Tremblay

• William Zorn

Juanita High School:

• Alice Tsai

Lake Washington High School:

• John Hornick

• Jeremy Housekeeper

• Grant Jenkins

All winners of Merit Scholarship awards are chosen from the finalist group, based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments. Each finalist is evaluated on their academic record, information about the school’s curricula and grading system, two sets of test scores, the school official’s written recommendation, information about the student’s activities and leadership, and the finalist’s own essay. Scholarships will be awarded between March and June 2010.