by Juanita I.C. Traughber, communications director
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. applauds 16 percent of USN seniors for top PSAT scores.
Three University School of Nashville seniors are among the Semifinalists in the 63rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Elijah Hong, Alex Lomis, and Isa Wierum were selected from the pool of students who took the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. As Semifinalists, they represent less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors and are among the highest scoring entrants in Tennessee.
These academically talented students have an opportunity to submit detailed applications with their academic record and community activities along with an essay and recommendation letter to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships awarded in the spring.
Commended seniors are Mia Boero, William Bradshaw, Drew Dibble, William Gilliland, Shivam Hingorani, Jackson Joffe, Annabelle Li, Margaret Luffman, Ben Maloy, Jessica Mei, George Owen, Courtney Rabb, and Denee Stewart Freeman.
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. is a nonprofit organization providing scholarships underwritten by funds from the nonprofit, businesses, and higher education institutions that share its goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.
Mia Boero also was selected a National Hispanic Scholar, an honor the National Hispanic Recognition Program extends to students who score in the top 2.5 percent among Hispanic and Latino PSAT test takers.
Peabody Demonstration School's first African-American graduate passed away September 3, 2025. Cassandra Teague Walker '67 returned to her alma mater many times to share her experiences with young students and is featured on the 21st Avenue garage mural.
The National Merit Scholarship Program honors seniors whose PSAT scores show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Congratulations to seniors Darcy Dove, Finch Fleming, Evan Giles, Ismaeel Moskinzada, and Lin Zheng for this honor.
Thank you to the many families, faculty, and staff who have donated their pre-loved books, games, and puzzles for resale. USNA continues to accept donations. Fall Book Frenzy takes place Thursday, September 25 through Saturday, September 27 in Cheek Gym. This annual used book sale benefits the Hassenfeld Library.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.