PLEASANT HILL, Calif. - Eight seniors from five Contra Costa County high schools have been named National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners. The group of winners was named in the program’s second announcement and are among those to have earned the “Merit Scholar” title. The 2,500 Merit Scholar winners were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.
“Hats off to these eight National Merit Scholars; they are a reflection of exceptional academic achievement in our county,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. “Thank you to the teachers and college counselors in our county who helped give these students the academic rigor and guidance to flourish in one of the most highly competitive and prestigious scholarships in the nation.”
Schools with National Merit $2500 Scholarship Winners include Athenian School (1), Campolindo High School (1), Dougherty Valley High School (4), Monte Vista High School (1), and Las Lomas High School (1).
According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, winners were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who scored the finalists by academics, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; PSAT scores; school leadership and community activities; an essay; and a letter of recommendation. More information about the National Merit Scholarship program can be found online at
https://www.nationalmerit.org/.
By the end of the 2023 competition, more than 7,140 academic champions will receive National Merit Scholarships worth about $28 million. College-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards are expected to be announced in June and July.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY $2500 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
ATHENIAN SCHOOL
Tavi D. Greenfield
CAMPOLINDO HIGH SCHOOL
Evonne Xu
DOUGHERTY VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Ayan S. Bhatia
Arnav Hampapur
Sarveshan Saravanan
Ananya Vittaladevuni
LAS LOMAS HIGH SCHOOL
Bogdan Yaremenko
MONTE VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Kailey Emmons
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About Contra Costa County Office of Education
One of 58 counties in California, Contra Costa County has the 9th largest public-school student population in the state (approximately 158,401 students). Officially established in 1932, the CCCOE has a long history of providing direct services to some of our county's most vulnerable students, including young people who are incarcerated, homeless, or in foster care, as well as students who have severe physical or emotional challenges.
CCCOE also provides support services to schools and school districts in Contra Costa County; services that can be handled most effectively and economically on a regional basis rather than by each of the county's 285 schools or
18 school districts. These services range from budget approval and fiscal support to technology infrastructure, communication support, and high-level professional development opportunities for educators. CCCOE maintains a website at
www.cocoschools.org.