Two dozen Vestavia Hills High school students named National Merit Finalists
VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (VHCS) — All 24 National Merit Semifinalists at Vestavia Hills High School are now Finalists — the largest group from any Alabama high school this year.
National Merit Finalists at Vestavia Hills High School include (as shown in photograph):
Front row (L-R): Lily Xie, Judy Yamani, Vivian Shi, Mariam Malik, Ayden Yother, Mina Hu, Lucy Manary, Tina Lou, Tina Gao, Jeffrey Zhao, Nehan Andrabi
Back row (L-R): Hamp McMurray, Lance Wilkerson, John Lee Wimberly, Ryaan Singh, Adi Sheelavant, Pratul Danasekar, Jack Hugunine, Eric Wang, Vaughan Milliman, Cooper Prier, Jaymin Bae
Not pictured: Evelyn Kutny, Zara McKelvey
This year’s 24 students mark the largest group from VHHS since 2006, when the school also had 24 Semifinalists. It is the third time this decade that VHHS has produced more than 20 Finalists in a single year.
Students qualified for the honor by earning top scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in 2024. As Finalists, they will compete for about $26 million in scholarships to be awarded later this spring.
“This accomplishment reflects the academic talent of these 24 students, as well as their discipline, curiosity, and perseverance,” Vestavia Hills High School principal Blair Inabinet said today. “To have every Semifinalist advance to Finalist status, and to lead the state with the largest group this year, speaks volumes about their sustained effort, the strength of their support systems, and the pursuit of excellence that is a hallmark of VHHS.”
National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced later this spring.
PHOTO: Vestavia Hills High School’s 2026 National Merit Finalists. Credit: Vestavia Hills City Schools.