Six GGUSD Students Named National Merit Semifinalists

Friday, September 15, 2017

Six students from Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) were named semifinalists in the 63rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program – a prestigious recognition earned by less than one percent of high school seniors nationwide. National Merit Semifinalists from GGUSD included Long H. Ho from Bolsa Grande High School, Tiffany Trinh and Kaitlyn Vu from La Quinta High School, as well as Lynn M. Gao, Jerlene Hsueh, and Ryan Stevens from Pacifica High School.

“Congratulations to our elite scholars whose hard work and commitment to academic success earned them this prestigious honor,” said Lan Nguyen, GGUSD Board of Education president.

National Merit Semifinalists represent those students who scored highest on the PSAT from each state. Next, students will submit a scholarship application, endorsement from a high school official, essay, and SAT scores.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is designed to recognize students with extraordinary academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college courses. Semifinalists are eligible to compete for 7,500 scholarships worth an estimated $32 million.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a non-profit organization that provides scholarships funded in part by businesses, organizations, and higher education institutions with the goal of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions.