Senior Brigid Wagner was named a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Semifinalists are selected based on their junior PSAT scores and represent the top 0.5 percent of the state’s seniors. Brigid will advance to compete for the prestigious National Merit Scholarship. This process involves a detailed scholarship application that includes the student’s academic record, extracurricular activities, community engagement, and more.
Willows’ director of college counseling Nancy Brinckerhoff has high hopes for Brigid as she applies to become a finalist. Brigid’s stellar test scores, academic record, extracurricular participation, and dedication to her community make her an exceptionally qualified candidate.
“Each state has a different cut-off score, and Illinois being one of the highest scoring states in the country makes it extremely difficult to earn this recognition,” explained Brinckerhoff. “Willows Academy has not had a semifinalist since 2015. This year the state of Illinois has 655 semifinalists, and we are very proud that Brigid is one of them.”
Willows hosted an assembly in Brigid’s honor to highlight the prestige of this award. Head of school Jaime Vasquez addressed Brigid’s positive impact on the greater school community. “We hope Brigid can be a role model of dedication and service,” she said to the students. “I have full faith that all of you can do great things with hard work and optimism.”
Willows Academy proudly congratulates Brigid on this enormous accomplishment!