NATCHITOCHES – On Wednesday, Sept. 11, officials of National Merit® Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Among the Semifinalists were five students from Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) in Natchitoches. Those students were (in alphabetical order by last name): Wyatt Barras (’25), of New Iberia; Chad Johnson (’25), of Luling; Collin McNeely (’25), of Gloster; Madeline Riles (’25), of Carencro; and Isaac Young (’25), of Natchitoches.

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 6,780 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring.

“Our National Merit Semifinalists perfectly embody the Louisiana School motto: ‘We shall excel,’” said Dr. Steve Horton, Executive Director of LSMSA. “They hail from communities in every corner of the state, and are characteristic of the kind of academically motivated students who thrive in the challenging LSMSA environment.”

PHOTOS: High-quality, media-approved images of the five LSMSA students who were named as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists Folder icon may be downloaded here.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning a Merit Scholar® title. Finalists will be notified in late February. National Merit Scholarship winners of 2025 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. For more information on the scholarship program, visit www.nationalmerit.org.

LSMSA is Louisiana’s preeminent state-supported residential high school with competitive admissions for high-achieving, highly motivated sophomores, juniors, and seniors. As a public school, there is no tuition to attend, and assistance from the LSMSA Foundation ensures that the program is accessible to all qualifying students regardless of financial circumstances. For more information, or to apply for admission to LSMSA, visit www.LSMSA.edu.