Sarasota County Schools has announced that 23 students have been named National Merit Scholarship finalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

The National Merit Scholarship program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. Per the NMSC, approximately 1.5 million high school students enter the program each year. Of the 1.5 million entrants, around 50,000 with the highest PSAT/NMSQT ^selection index scores qualify for recognition in the program. In September, these high scorers are notified through their schools that they have qualified as either commended students or semifinalists. To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, semifinalists must advance to finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and all other requirements. In February, around 15,000 semifinalists are notified that they have advanced to finalist standing.

North Port High School

Joseph French

Pine View School

Summer Bossman, Sarah Catalano, Matthew Coovert, Nelson Creed, Abraham Daoud, Cole Firlie, Laura Gayre, Andrew Goodson, Connor Lafo, Jimmy Liu, Leila Mackenzie
Elizabeth McBride, Demetri Pappas, Ricardo Prado Cunha, Sonica Prakash, Siddhartha Reddy, Jack Ries, Lucas Rudloff, Edward Shen, Richard Siwicki

Venice High School

Alexia King, Haley Sprague