Two Bossier Parish high school seniors have been named Semifinalists in the 71st Annual National Merit Scholarship Program and five others received Letters of Commendation.
John “JJ” Mason and Austin Harkins were singled out for their exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Mason attends Benton High and Harkins is a student at Airline.
The two scholastic champions now advance in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship competition and have the opportunity to compete for nearly 7,000 scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered in the spring. Approximately 95-percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing and nearly half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship and earn the Merit Scholar title, which is considered the highest academic high school honor in the nation.
Over 1.3 million juniors across the nation entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which serves as an initial screening of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists is then chosen, representing less than one-percent of all U.S. high school seniors and the highest scoring entrants in each state.
Kate Tynes and Kent Lolley from Airline, Amelia Stringer from Benton, and Mason Anderson and Charley McAnn from Haughton, were cited as Commended Students for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2026 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students are those that place among the top 50,000 students who entered.
Mason and Harkins will find out in February 2026 if they are named National Merit Scholar Finalists. There are three types of National Merit Scholarships that will be offered. Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit® $2,500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 830 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 150 corporations and business organizations for Finalists who meet their specified criteria. In addition, about 150 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 3,600 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.