Saginaw Public School District is proud to announce that two Saginaw Arts & Sciences Academy students — Vedha Bhola and Lucas Tilot — have been named semifinalists for the prestigious 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.
They are among 472 Michigan high school students to earn this distinction, as announced on Wednesday, September 10.
Both Vedha and Lucas were selected from a nationwide pool of 1.3 million high school juniors across more than 20,000 schools after excelling on the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
Their exceptional performance places them in an elite group of more than 16,000 semifinalists nationwide recognized for outstanding academic achievement and potential for college success.
To advance to the finalist level, Vedha and Lucas will complete a rigorous application process, including submitting their academic records, demonstrating leadership and community involvement, writing a personal essay, earning qualifying SAT scores, and receiving a recommendation from a school official.
Historically, about 95% of semifinalists progress to finalist status, and roughly half of those finalists ultimately receive a National Merit Scholarship.
Next spring, the program will award three types of scholarships to finalists:
2,500 one-time $2,500 National Merit Scholarships
Approximately 830 corporate-sponsored scholarships
Thousands more scholarships sponsored by nearly 150 colleges and universities
Superintendent Dr. Ramont Roberts said the students’ success exemplifies the high standards of academic excellence and opportunity available to SPSD students.
“The accomplishments of Vedha Bhola and Lucas Tilot highlight not only their personal dedication and talent but also the supportive environment fostered within Saginaw Public School District,” Dr. Roberts said.
Saginaw Public School District congratulates Vedha and Lucas on this remarkable achievement and wishes them continued success as they advance in the National Merit competition.