Kimberly Area School District is proud to announce that Kimberly High School senior Noah Kluender has been named a Semifinalist in the 2026 National Merit® Scholarship Program.
Noah joins a distinguished group of more than 16,000 students nationwide recognized for their exceptional academic achievement. These Semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and are among the highest-scoring entrants in each state on the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).
As a Semifinalist, Noah will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million. To advance to the Finalist level, he must fulfill a series of requirements including submitting a detailed scholarship application, demonstrating outstanding academic performance, providing recommendations, and confirming his PSAT/NMSQT scores with SAT® or ACT® results.
About 95 percent of Semifinalists are expected to advance to Finalist standing, and roughly half of those students will go on to earn the prestigious title of National Merit Scholar®. Three types of scholarships will be awarded beginning in April 2026:
- National Merit $2,500 Scholarships awarded on a state-representational basis.
- Corporate-Sponsored Scholarships for students who meet specific criteria set by sponsoring businesses and organizations.
- College-Sponsored Scholarships from participating colleges and universities for students who plan to attend those institutions.
For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit www.nationalmerit.org.