Nine Penfield High School students have been named Commended Students in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSC).

Principal LeAnna Watt presented John Douglas, Hadley Garlock, Charles Gibbs, Kevin Pham, Oliver Rounds, Christopher Shape, Charles Stoetzel, and Ada Woodworth with a letter of commendation recognizing their exceptional academic achievement. These students join 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation in being honored for their performance on the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Additionally, senior Liam Merna was named a semifinalist in the program and will continue to represent New York State in competing for one of 6,700 National Merit Scholarships. To advance to the finalist round, Merna will submit a scholarship application that includes his academic achievements, demonstrated leadership abilities, among other requirements. Scholarship recipients will be announced in spring 2027.

“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “Recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”