National Merit Scholarship semifinalists from Lawrence High School from left are JJoo-Young Lee, Brian Chang, Mikhayla Sheeley and Emily Murphy.

National Merit Scholarship semifinalists from Lawrence Free State are from left Jack Ziegler, Michael Quackenbush, Sarah Lieberman, Wynn Feddema, Sophie Westbrook John Kihm and Zachary Moore.

Twelve Lawrence high schoolers have been named semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which recognizes the top academically talented students in the country.

Free State High School had seven students featured, along with four from Lawrence High School and one from Bishop Seabury Academy. Last year, the three schools combined for 18 semifinalists.

The semifinalists are:

Free State High School

• Wynn J. Feddema

• John A. Kihm

• Sarah A. Lieberman

• Zachary Moore

• Michael G. Quackenbush

• Anna S. Westbrook

• Jacob R. Ziegler

Lawrence High School

• Brian Chang

• Joo-Young Lee

• Emily L. Murphy

• Mikhayla B. Sheeley

Bishop Seabury Academy

• Adeline A. Graham

“My congratulations to these eleven (public) high school students for earning national academic recognition,” Lawrence schools superintendent Rick Doll said. “It’s an impressive accomplishment. Our schools share in the pride that the students and their families feel following the announcement of these top honors.”

Matt Patterson, the academic dean for Bishop Seabury, said Graham no longer attends school there after moving to Oregon over the summer but offered his congratulations.

“We were very, very sad to see her go,” Patterson said. “She’s a great student. She’s going to be doing very well wherever the future takes her.”

About 16,000 semifinalists across the nation were announced Wednesday, and about 90 percent are expected to reach a “finalist” standing, according to a news release. Around 1.4 million students entered this year’s program.

Approximately 7,600 National Merit Scholarships will be handed out in the spring. Over 5,000 of those scholarships will be sponsored and awarded by corporations, business organizations and universities.

Scholarship winners will be named in four separate announcements between April and July.

To become a finalist, students must demonstrate community involvement, leadership abilities, employment and honors received. All entrants are also required to submit academic records and take a qualifying test.