Five diocesan students were named National Merit Scholarship finalists: Patrick Gallagher, from Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington; Molly Jennings, from Saint Paul the Great Catholic High School in Potomac Shores; and Sophia Lama, Christopher Alex and Anna Gillespie, from St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly.
The National Merit Scholarship Competition begins with the PSAT in the fall of junior year. Of the approximately 1.5 million entrants, approximately 15,000 become finalists. Becoming a finalist is the result of high test scores on the PSAT and SAT, outstanding academic achievement and strong participation in extracurricular activities.
