Geneva High School Principal Tom Rogers has proudly announced that 12 students have earned recognition in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. 

Evelyn Gibbons, Ellie Grantcharov, Nicholas Grimes, Ethan Ryan and Vitaly Starkov have been named National Merit Semifinalists. About 1.3 million juniors entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 PSAT test, which served as an initial screening of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. These students will submit a detailed scholarship application in the hopes of becoming a Finalist. 

Ernesto Bebe, Jack Danosky, Torin Holda, Anna Keller, James Lusk, Annaliese Rothaar and Benjamin Watson have been named National Merit Commended Students. About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Commended students are those who placed among the top five percent of more than 1.3 million students who entered the competition. 

Principal Rogers praised these students saying, “This prestigious recognition is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and academic excellence. They have not only made their families and teachers proud, but they also set a shining example for their peers.” 

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. 

A letter of commendation from the high school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which conducts the program, will be presented by Rogers to these students at an upcoming Board of Education meeting. 

A spokesperson for NMSC stated, “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”