Thirteen Homewood High School seniors are officially National Merit Finalists after placing in the top 1% of the 11th-grade PSAT. Their selection also reflects strong extracurricular involvement and academic achievements.
RJ Teter, Sam Ernest, Foster Laird, Luke Binet, Oliver Trolard, Colton Cox, Charley Chewning, Chandler York, Margo Brandrup, Alejandra Briceno, Emma Berthiaume, Ruby Reeves and Emma Brooke Levering all earned the honor.
HHS has a strong record of National Merit recognition, boasting 13 finalists in 2024 as well. This number is expected to increase in the coming years with the school’s new test preparation program, first offered to the current junior class. https://thehomewoodtricorne.com/5418/campus/psat-prep-course-gives-students-competitive-edge/
“I expect the numbers to go up,” Davenport said. “The outsourced prep could only accommodate 13 students, but we’re expanding it to 30 with our new course so I think that will be an advantage.”
Davenport is proud of this class of finalists, attributing several factors to their success.
“It’s a really impressive class,” Davenport said. “Not just academically, but I think they’re just well-liked and really involved, so we’ll be sad to see them go.”
This strong showing of finalists is only further evidence of Homewood’s commitment to academic and extracurricular excellence.
“It is evidence of Homewood’s effect on students,” Davenport said. “I’ve just been impressed by this class, and it gives me hope for the future that the world will be in their hands one day.”
Senior Luke Binet, who hopes to attend Boston University in the fall, has always risen to academic challenges. With a heavy AP course load and numerous extracurriculars, including being Head Drum Major for the Homewood Patriot Marching Band, Binet is the ideal candidate for the award.
“Being named as a finalist is just a culmination of years of hard work,” Binet said. “I don’t do it for the awards and recognition, but it is a nice bonus.”
Senior Alejandra Briceno has her sights set on attending Yale University, an achievement in itself. She’s worked hard to attend a prestigious college and earn impressive awards, making it no surprise that she was named a National Merit Scholar.
“It’s a great honor,” Briceno said. “It’s great to put on your resume, but it also presents a lot of scholarship opportunities which are awesome.”
One of the biggest perks of being a National Merit Finalist is scholarship opportunities. Some colleges provide special funding for finalists, such as the University of Alabama which offers a full ride. Finalists can also earn a $2,500 National Merit scholarship or a corporate-sponsored scholarship from a participating company.
Once students are named semi-finalists, they then must apply to officially become a finalist. This includes writing an essay, obtaining a letter of recommendation and submitting a resume and transcript.
“The application wasn’t bad,” Binet said. “We just had to write an essay and submit some information about our activities and grades, but it was at the peak of college application season so I was already in that zone.”
Homewood’s goal to produce well-rounded, high-achieving students naturally results in recognition, both from national awards and from the students involved, such as Briceno.
“We’re just encouraged and given the resources to pursue everything we want to,” Briceno said. “We’re expected to balance everything we’re doing with our academics, and the teachers make that possible. They’re gracious, and they really care about you and your interests and want to see you succeed.”
