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Polk County Public Schools had a trio of National Merit Scholarship winners announced today.
Congratulations to Jimmy Barrios and Elijah Englund from International Baccalaureate Bartow, and Payson Keown from International Baccalaureate Haines City.
The three students were among 3,000 National Merit Scholarship winners announced today. Each will receive a scholarship worth up to $2,000 annually sponsored by colleges and universities.
Barrios’ scholarship was sponsored by the University of Central Florida, Englund’s scholarship is from the University of South Florida, and Keown’s scholarship is from the University of Florida.
PCPS now has four National Merit winners for 2023. Lakeland High’s Cullen Wyatt was announced last month.
This year’s National Merit program features more than 15,000 student finalists. The winners are selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who review students’ academics, test performance and contributions to their schools and communities.
Students selected as winners are those “judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies,” according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Altogether, more than 7,140 students will receive scholarships this year. A final group of winners will be announced in July.
Jimmy Barrios
Elijah Englund
Payson Keown