WEB EXCLUSIVE Oviedo High School students have been named this year’s semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship program. Patrick Costello, Bradford Geiger, Maurya Jandyala, Eshan Ramesh, Justin Rockaway, Aiden Rotondo and Jonathan Whyte (all seniors) were recognized with unique distinctions. The goal of the National Merit program is to seek students in the U.S. who are academically gifted and encourage them in their college pursuits. The highest scoring students for the PSAT qualify for a $2500 check for the college of their choosing.

Patrick Costello, a semifinalist at Oviedo and the Editor-in-Chief of The Lion’s Tale said, “it’s similar to applying to colleges. To select the winners they evaluate students’ skills, abilities, and achievements.” He went on to say that is honored for the opportunity and hopes to move on the next round. “I was hoping to do well,” he said, “but it was excited to see that I had done that well.” Patrick and the other semifinalists placed in the top third of scores from the nation’s high schoolers. The finalists will be selected in the coming months.