Six members of the Valley Catholic High School class of 2026 have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) for their outstanding academic achievements.
(Back) Dan Jeong, AAhan Satish and Matthew Mehta.
National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Two Valley Catholic seniors were named Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit® Scholarship Program:
These students are among approximately 16,000 Semifinalists nationwide, representing less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors. Semifinalists are now eligible to compete for the National Merit Scholarships that will be awarded in the spring of 2026.
National Merit Scholarship Commended Students
In addition, four Valley Catholic seniors were named Commended Students for their exceptional academic promise:
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2026 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the competition by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).
According to NMSC, “Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success. 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.”
Valley Catholic congratulates all six seniors on this remarkable accomplishment. Their commitment to academic excellence exemplifies the spirit of our school community and serves as an inspiration to the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and Valley Catholic teachers and students.
