MANASSAS, Va., Feb. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The National Merit® Scholarship Program has selected six Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) students as 2026 National Merit Scholarship Finalists. All finalists will be considered for National Merit scholarships awarded in 2026.
Congratulations to the following students for demonstrating, through their high academic performance, their great potential for future academic accomplishments:
- Luke Davis, Battlefield High School
- Alexander Gushi, Battlefield High School
- Rebecca Clark, C.D. Hylton High School
- Julienne Lim, Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School
- Benjamin Fu, Gainesville High School
- Luke Pomfret, Patriot High School
In addition to these students, the following students—who previously attended PWCS and now attend Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology—also earned this distinction:
- Nikolas Fitzpatrick and Jayden Yang, previous students at Gainesville Middle School
- Kaleb Hickling, previous student at Woodbridge Middle School
- Nathaniel Kerr, previous student at Rippon Middle School
- Matthew Ryan, previous student at Ronald Wilson Reagan Middle School
Finalists are selected based on their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT, academic records, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. They will compete for the National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, corporate-sponsored awards, and college-sponsored scholarships.
The winners of the 2026 National Merit® Scholarships will be announced in news releases beginning in April and concluding in July.
For more information about the National Merit® Scholarship Program, please visit their website.
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