Richland Two has another National Merit Scholarship semifinalist

Last month, Richland School District Two announced 12 students named by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) as semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Another student was recently added to the list. Broden Hurd of Spring Valley High School is also among 16,000 semifinalists nationwide competing for approximately 6,930 scholarships valued at nearly $26 million.

Selection as a semifinalist is an exceptional academic honor, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. More than 1.3 million juniors from approximately 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 competition by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®). About 95 percent of semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level, and roughly half of the finalists will ultimately earn the title of National Merit Scholar, according to the NMSC.

Hurd joins his academically distinguished peers Riley A. Hamilton, Christophe X. Ndemeye, Jacob W. Powell, and Ava C. Whitener of Blythewood High School; Caroline M. Brandes of Richland Northeast High School; William R. Barkan and Tyre’un Holmes of Ridge View High School; and Ella J. Baker, Jacob A. Carter, Sreeman Parise, Ainsley E. Ropel and Colin C. Tang of Spring Valley High School.

Semifinalists advancing to the finalist level will compete for three types of National Merit Scholarships. Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit® $2500 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, such as children of the grantor’s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. 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.

NMSC Scholarship winners of 2026 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July.