Tampa Catholic High School is proud to announce that seniors Miranda Olivera ’26 and Luke Stoughton ’26 have been named Semifinalists in the prestigious 2026 National Merit® Scholarship Program.
This recognition places Miranda and Luke among the top one percent of high school seniors across the nation. Selected from a pool of over 1.3 million juniors who entered the program by taking the PSAT/NMSQT®, these academically talented students now have the opportunity to advance in the competition for more than 6,900 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million to be awarded in spring 2026.
To become National Merit Finalists, Semifinalists must meet a series of rigorous requirements, including submitting a detailed scholarship application, maintaining an exceptional academic record, writing an essay, and earning SAT or ACT scores that confirm their earlier performance. Historically, about 95 percent of Semifinalists advance to Finalist standing, and roughly half of those Finalists go on to win a National Merit Scholarship and earn the title of Merit Scholar.
“This is an incredible accomplishment for Miranda and Luke,” said Principal Cheriese Edwards. “Being named National Merit Semifinalists is not only a recognition of their academic excellence, but also of their dedication, perseverance, and leadership — qualities we strive to instill in all Tampa Catholic students.”
The National Merit Scholarship Program, now in its 71st year, was established in 1955 to honor the nation’s scholastic champions and encourage the pursuit of academic excellence. The program operates without government assistance and awards scholarships through its own funds as well as those provided by corporations, colleges, universities, and individual donors.
Miranda and Luke’s achievements reflect Tampa Catholic’s mission of fostering faith, excellence, and family — preparing students to succeed academically, serve faithfully, and lead confidently in college and beyond.
Please join us in congratulating Miranda Olivera ’26 and Luke Stoughton ’26 on this outstanding honor as they continue forward in the competition for one of the nation’s most prestigious academic scholarships.