Rockwall ISD Announces Four National Merit Semifinalists

ROCKWALL, TX (Sept. 10, 2026) Four Rockwall ISD high school students have been named 2027 National Merit Semifinalists.

Congratulations to Rockwall High School seniors Grady Kobussen and Ainsley Schmitz, and Rockwall-Heath High School seniors Albert Chauvin and Jackson Multer.

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must
fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing in February, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

Steps in the 2027 Competition

Over 1.2 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools across the U.S. entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S.
high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities,
employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record 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.

Finalists will be announced in February 2027, and National Merit Scholarship winners selected from the Finalists will be announced starting in April and concluding in July. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success
in rigorous college studies.

Submitted press release, Rockwall ISD. 

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