September 10, 2025
By JAMES EVANS
Rutherford County Schools
Rutherford County Schools has 24 representatives named as semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring.
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.
The full press release from the National Merit Scholarship Corp. can be found here: https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/images/gid2/editor_documents/26_meritsemi.pdf?gid=2&pgid=61&sessionid=0b18025e-55ed-460e-9bff-88d99f8f5b97&cc=1.
Below are this year’s representatives from Rutherford County Schools.
CENTRAL MAGNET SCHOOL
- Jackob Abahmanson
- Esme Barbieri
- Jonathan Bell
- Van Breedlove
- Wylene Co
- Avaih Corder
- Margaret Edwards
- Evan Gibson
- Jayden Johnson
- Anirudh Kodukula
- Grayson Lin
- Sophia Mangrum
- Michael Nobles
- Andrew Smith
- Aidan Stricklin
- Rachel Swicord
- Mohinder Talafuse
- Ruba Tobsei
- Dexter Tregeser
- Allison Urban
- Karunya Vudatula
OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL
- Zoey Gammon
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VIRTUAL SCHOOL
- Miley Ogeledzinski
SIEGEL HIGH SCHOOL
- Anthony Yater