Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program on September 10, 2025, in Evanston, Illinois. Among 16,000 were Hurricane High School’s Emma Klinebriel, Eli Crimmel, and Winfield High School’s Erin Walls. These academically talented high school seniors have the opportunity to continue competing for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships, worth nearly $26 million, that will be offered next spring.