GGUSD Students Honored as National Merit Semifinalists

National Merit Semifinalists

Two students from Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) were named semifinalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. Nghiem Pham of Garden Grove High School and Jennifer P. Pham of La Quinta High School received the prestigious recognition earned by less than one percent of high school seniors nationwide.   

“It is a tremendous accomplishment to be named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist,” said Lan Nguyen, GGUSD Board of Education vice president.  “We are so proud of our students for the hard work they invested to earn this elite academic accolade.”

The National Merit Scholarship Program is designed to recognize students with extraordinary academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college courses. Approximately 1.6 million students from 22,000 high schools entered the 2019 National merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2017 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Semifinalists are eligible to compete for 7,500 scholarships worth an estimated $31 million with over 90% of semifinalists being expected to attain finalist standing.

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 scholastic champions.