20 Students Named National Merit Commended Scholars
Sycamore Community Schools is proud to announce 20 Sycamore High School seniors have been named Commended Scholars in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. This prestigious recognition places them in the top 3% of U.S. high school seniors.
While these scholars won’t advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, they are among the top 5% of the more than 1.6 million students who entered by taking the PSAT, showcasing their exceptional academic potential. Nationwide, about 34,000 students earned this honor.
This year’s Commended Scholars are:
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Jacob Baron
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Katherine Christenson
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Sergio Garcia
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Jason Hershenson
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Ethan Hess
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David Hsu
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Kerstin Koenig
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Pranav Kulkarni
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William Lang
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Noah Lee
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Isaiah Lin
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Sarojin Malla
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Sophie McCoy
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Lev Newton
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Anya Sawnani
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Kristen Schutte
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Rachel Starghill
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Craig Talavage
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Jihye Woo
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Aidan Zhong
Commended Scholars achieved a Selection Index score of 212 or higher on the PSAT. In comparison, National Merit Semifinalists needed a score of 219 or higher to qualify.
These Commended Scholars join 16 Sycamore seniors who were recently named National Merit Semifinalists, placing in the top 1% of U.S. seniors with a chance to compete for 7,400 scholarships worth about $32 million.
We are incredibly proud of all these students for their hard work and dedication!