Thirty students in Jefferson Parish Schools have been named semifinalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Among Louisiana public schools, Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies was second in the state with 20 students named semifinalists this year. Additionally, Patrick F. Taylor Academy for Advanced Studies had the sixth highest number of students awarded in the state with 10 semifinalists. 

“Congratulations to these remarkable students for their continued commitment to academic excellence,” said JP Schools Superintendent Dr. James Gray. ”They make our school system and our state proud.”

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. 

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic scholarship competition for high school students that began in 1955. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

The 2023 National Merit semifinalists in JP Schools are:

Haynes Academy For Advanced Studies 

• Vrishaan Bhrugushastri
• Derek Chen
• Jerry Chen
• Wyatt Clakeley
• Khalil El-Abbassi
• Hamza Habib
• Muhammed Habibovic
• James Lee
• Ari Li
• Kade Marcon
• Snehalata Mondal
• Farzeen  Nafees
• Jacob  Niyazov
• Drima Patel
• Divya Pellegrin
• Hudson Perez
• Brinley Pethe
• Jack West
• Mason Williams
• Victor Wu

Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy

• Ameen Abdalbaqi
• Adrien Bordelon
• Lucille Broussard
• Trevor Bryan
• Mohammad Ibrahim
• Kai Loo
• Javier Torres
• Long Tran
• Dominic Vu
• Miguel Wilches