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National Merit Scholars

It’s tough to get 12 students together at one time, so we photographed them as we could schedule them and made this composite. Even at that, we could only get 10, but you get the idea: 12 National Merit Scholars is a big class. Big. Students go through a qualifying test, and then the semifinalists — representing less than 1 percent of the nation’s high school seniors — submit a detailed and rigorous application and essay. It’s one of the highest honors a student can earn.

From left to right:
Kayla Heier — Perham, Minn.
Austin Oltmanns — Dickinson, N.D.
Lauren Singelmann — Fargo, N.D.
Jessica Erickson — Montgomery, Ala.
Alexander Smith — Cambridge, Minn.
Emily Leonard — Maple Grove, Minn.
Hannah Nyland — Jamestown, N.D.
Brandon Duenow — Fargo, N.D.
Anna Renner — Fargo, N.D.
Christian Ekren — Fargo, N.D.





Student Focused. Land Grant. Research University.