Earlier this week, Carroll Senior High hosted a surprise gathering of parents and students to announce the largest-ever class of 41 National Merit semifinalists.

“As educators in Carroll ISD, it’s our absolute honor to be part of the educational journey with these students,” said Carroll Senior High Principal Ryan Wilson. “Their achievement in this scholarship competition thus far is nothing short of exceptional.”

The tradition of notifying parents of their child’s semifinalists status and inviting them to a surprise ceremony, began last year and was implemented by Principal Wilson. During the gathering it was announced that these students scored in the top 1% of PSAT/NMSWT scores for the class of 2023 in the state of Texas. In the state of Texas, 1,571 students qualified as semifinalists. 

“I think it is a great opportunity because it gives me a chance at being a finalist,” Sahat Sopirala said. “Becoming a finalist not only looks good on resumes, but also allows us to get scholarships from certain schools. It was even more exciting that some people I knew shared the honor with me. And I was definitely surprised at the amount of people who earned the semifinalist status. I think that it shows the excellence of our school.”

The next step for the students to be considered for a National Merit Scholarship is to advance to finalist standing by meeting high academic standards and other requirements as established by the National Merit Scholarship program.

“We are so proud of our National Merit semifinalists,” said Superintendent Dr. Lane Ledbetter. “Throughout the year our teachers, staff and school board members focus diligently on employing the best practices to inspire excellence and provide the greatest learning environment for our students. I am so pleased to see our students excelling in this stellar program that will serve them well for many years, even after they graduate from CISD.”

Gallery • 7 Photos