Five Eden Prairie students awarded National Merit Scholarships

Out of more than 15,000 National Merit Finalists, four Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) students and one Eden Prairie resident who attends Minnetonka High School have each been awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.

The EPHS winners are Ziwei Chen, Matthew John Ivey, Lucinda Jacobs, and Emily Oberleitner. The Minnetonka High School winner is Eowyn R. Duan-Porter.

These Scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the Finalists and their high schools: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT); contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.