Avon Lake seniors named National Merit Semifinalists

Avon Lake High School has announced that seniors Joshua Kerner, 17; and Rachel Sapola, 17, have been named 2022 National Merit Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

There are approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million that will be offered next spring.

“Congratulations to Joshua and Rachel for earning this outstanding, national academic achievement,” said Michael May, Avon Lake High School principal, in a news release. “This is earned through years of hard work and dedication. We are all incredibly proud of your accomplishment and wish you luck.”

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. Semifinalists 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 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. Finalist winners will be announced in February.

“Josh and Rachel are both outstanding students that have pushed themselves academically throughout their high school careers,” said Michael Kaminski, Avon Lake High School guidance counselor. “This recognition is a culmination of all of their hard work. They should be very proud.”

Here are bios on the semifinalists:

Joshua Kerner, 17

Parents: Lizzie Bye and James Kerner

High school activities: Merples (a cappella ensemble), National Honor Society, Debate Club, Student Council, Tennis Team, The Spectrum (school newspaper)

Hobbies: Reading, cycling, video games, singing, and tennis tournaments Potential college(s): Johns Hopkins University, Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University, Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell University Potential major(s): Biology, pre-med

Rachel Sapola, 17

Parents: Jessica LovichSapola and Brian Sapola High school activities: The Spectrum (school newspaper), Chamber orchestra, Math Team, National Honor Society, Pit orchestra Hobbies: Figure skating, cello, baking, reading Potential college(s): Ohio State University, Cornell University, University of California Berkeley, University of Pennsylvania, University of Cincinnati

Potential major(s): Mechanical engineering.

SUBMITTED Seniors Joshua Kerner and Rachel Sapola.