Some 1.3 million high school juniors started, but only the top one-percent made it. Airline High School senior Austin Harkins and Benton High High senior “JJ” Mason are among the small fraction that did.
We are elated to announce these two academic scholars have been selected as National Merit Finalists. This achievement is not simply about a test score; it is a result of fostering a culture of excellence that turns potential into national recognition.
Being selected as a National Merit Scholar is the top academic high school honor in the nation that now puts Harkins and Mason in the running to win nearly 7,000 scholarships worth nearly $26 million in the spring.
Congratulations to these academic all-stars and scholars.