Pictured from left: Semifinalists Benjamin Boodey and Jessica Li. On the right, from top to bottom, commended students Lauren Pang, Geneva Ruml, and Anna Shuba. (Courtesy photos)
DURHAM – Superintendent Dr. Robert Shaps and Principal Rebecca Noe are pleased to share that two Oyster River High School seniors have been named semifinalists by the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Seniors Benjamin Boodey and Jessica Li are recognized for their exceptional academic promise demonstrated by scoring among the 50,000 highest scorers nationwide on the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
Boodey and Li will receive letters of commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Program Corporation and the district.
Three seniors, Lauren Pang, Geneva Ruml, and Anna Shuba were also commended by the organization.
“Congratulations to this year’s National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Scholars for earning this well-deserved recognition,” said Principal Noe. “Their academic dedication, perseverance, and positive impact are inspiring. All five students are role models in our school community, and we are extremely proud of them. We are excited to see their efforts recognized and look forward to seeing what they achieve next.”
“We are incredibly proud of Benjamin, Jessica, Lauren, Geneva, and Anna,” said Superintendent Shaps. “Their dedication to learning, supported by the guidance of our exceptional educators, shows the strength of our school community. We hope this recognition opens doors for them as they continue to grow and pursue new opportunities.”
About the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program
Over 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.