Wenatchee High School Student A National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist

Wenatchee High School senior Elizabeth Tchitchkan has been named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist.

Wenatchee principal Eric Anderson said that it's tough to score high enough on the PSATs to break the top 16,000 of the 1.6 million students a year that take the test.

"To make it to the semifinalist round, it's not easy. That means that you had to score extremely well." Anderson explained, "Anyone who get to that level has worked really hard, has put a lot of time into it, and deserves that kind of recognition."

Tchitchkan will now have to fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. Over 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship. Finalists will be announced in February, with scholarship winner announcements beginning in April and concluding in July.

"Elizabeth is a fantastic young lady." Anderson added, "She works very hard here at school she pushes herself academically. I would say she is very well liked by both students and staff here at the building."

Roughly 7,600 National Merit Scholarships will be handed out in 2020, totaling more than $31,000.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

Rowan Utzinger of Ellensburg was also named a semifinalist.