Park City High School celebrates seven National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists

Park City High School seniors honored as 2026 National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists. Photo: TownLift // Rebecca Brenner

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City High School honored seven seniors Wednesday morning who have been named National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists, one of the nation’s top academic distinctions for high school students.

The recognition ceremony, held from 9:30 to 10 a.m. at the high school on Kearns Boulevard, celebrated the achievements of Nolan Conneally, Cohen Flach, Henry Hayes, Weijia Li, Owen Osorio, Sonja Preston and Parker Taix.

Principal Caleb Fine praised the group as “the finest of the finest, academically,” noting they represent roughly 0.4% of seniors nationwide. “This has been around since 1955,” Fine said. “You qualify because you took the PSAT on your own and had quite an incredible score. This is a big deal. You should be incredibly proud of this moment.”

The National Merit Scholarship Program selects about 16,000 semi-finalists each year from among more than 1.3 million test-takers. Semi-finalists must now complete applications, submit essays, and earn confirming SAT or ACT scores to advance. About 95% typically become finalists, eligible for scholarships worth nearly $28 million.

For the students, the honor was both surprising and rewarding. “It’s a pretty great honor,” said senior Owen Osorio. “To have this many people this year, it’s really meaningful to all of us, and it opens up a lot of opportunities for the future.”

Parker Taix called the recognition humbling. “I honestly just showed up to school, took the PSAT, and next thing I know, I’m here,” he said. “It’s an experience I can cherish as I look to apply to colleges.”

Others highlighted the value of persistence. “It’s just a good kind of reinforcement of the work that’s been done,” said Cohen Flach. “It’s kind of cool to have something that shows that work paid off.”

Henry Hayes echoed that sentiment. “It’s really awesome to see some of the hard work I’ve done through high school result in this,” he said. “It’s going to be hugely beneficial for my college applications and opportunities in the future.”

For Weijia Li, the recognition carried both personal satisfaction and future aspirations. “It feels really cool. I’ve definitely put a lot of work in throughout my academic career,” she said. Li added that she hopes to study political science, possibly with a minor in Spanish, and pursue a career in immigration law.

Sonja Preston described the recognition as validating years of effort. “It just feels very satisfying to be recognized,” she said.

Nolan Conneally said the honor reflects years of steady effort. “I’ve worked hard to get where I am today,” he said. “It’s an honor to be here with my friends and classmates I know pretty well.”

This year’s seven semi-finalists match Park City High’s record, first achieved in 2022. Last year, the school celebrated a single semi-finalist, underscoring the distinction’s competitiveness.

Fine closed the event by encouraging families to take photos and share in the celebration. “You are representing our community and our high school well,” he told the students. “Parents, this is a proud moment because this is not something most families get to celebrate. It takes a team and a village, and we are humbled to be part of your child’s story.”