Covington Catholic, a National Blue Ribbon School, is proud to announce that three seniors, William Jennings, Brayden Proud, and Jackson Germann have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as Finalists in the 71st annual National Merit® Scholarship Program.
The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than 1% of the U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. Will, Brayden and Jackson are now three of just 15,000 finalists across the nation. Over 1.3 million juniors from about 20,000 high schools entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Additionally, students submitted detailed scholarship applications, in which they provide information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership, employment, and honors and awards received. A finalist must have outstanding academic records throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.
These academically talented high school seniors now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered this spring.
“We are incredibly proud to recognize three National Merit Finalists from one class—an achievement that speaks to both their academic ability and their steady commitment to excellence,” said Principal Bob Rowe. “What sets these young men apart is that you will see them excelling not only in the classroom, but throughout our school community—serving Mass, competing in robotics and Academic Team competitions, and pushing themselves in track and cross country. They embody what we strive to form at Covington Catholic: young men who pursue greatness with humility, faith, and discipline. This honor is well deserved, and we look forward to all they will accomplish in the years ahead.”
Covington Catholic High School is a 2X Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, award winning, college preparatory high school located in Park Hills, Kentucky, operating within the Catholic Diocese of Covington. It is an all-male school of 540 whose mission is to embrace the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to educate students spiritually, academically, physically and socially.
National Merit Semi-Finalists from left to right with Principal Bob Rowe; Will Jennings, Brayden Proud, and Jackson Germann
