Hoover City Schools is thrilled to announce that 17 students have been named Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit® Scholarship Program! These students have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement and represent the top one percent of high school seniors in the United States.

Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) announced that more than 16,000 students nationwide have qualified as Semifinalists in the 71st annual program. 

Congratulations to our Semifinalists at Hoover High School and Spain Park High School:

Hoover High School: Madelyn Bauman, Elijah Burns, Jacob Clary, Jay Glaves, Hasini Grandhi, Philip Mason, Aidan Naftel, Sara Roy, Allan Yuan 

Spain Park High School: Zaiden Ajani, Lane Allen, Alia Bush, Lorelai Kindle, Emma Nikolic, Allen Padgham, Sarah Phillips, Alexander Ritchey

Students qualified for the honor by earning top scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in 2024. Semifinalists now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships worth almost $26 million that will be awarded in the spring.

“We're thrilled to recognize our National Merit Semifinalists! This achievement reflects not just the students’ academic excellence but also the amazing dedication of their teachers and the unwavering support from their families and community. It's a proud moment for all of us, and we’re excited to celebrate these outstanding individuals!" said HCS Superintendent Dr. Kevin Maddox.