Three Fort students named 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists 

The School District of Fort Atkinson has announced that three of its students have bee selected as 2024 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.

They are Fort Atkinson High School students Francis Kuefler, Payton Wiesen and Elizabeth Barganz.

According to information released by the school district, the three students will each have an opportunity to continue to compete for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships, totaling approximately $28 million.

The awards will be be offered next spring.

As stated in the release, a student may be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award as a semifinalists after meeting several requirements. Those fulfilling an additional set of requirements are advanced to a finalist round of competition.

The release states: “About 95% of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship.”

About the National Merit Scholarship Program

According to the release, the program is facilitated through a nonprofit organization called the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which  operates without government assistance. The corporation was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by the corporation, which uses its own funds, and by approximately 320 business organizations and higher education institutions, all of which share the corporation’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

For more information about the corporation, program or its competition, visit its website: www.nationalmerit.org.