Benjamin Franklin High School Celebrates 23 National Merit Semifinalists, the Most in Louisiana

Benjamin Franklin High School Celebrates 23 National Merit Semifinalists, the Most in Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS (Sept. 11, 2020) – Benjamin Franklin High School is proud to announce the following 23 seniors have been selected as semifinalists in the 66th annual National Merit Scholarship Program announced by the officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation, or NMSC. All finalists will be considered for National Merit Scholarships to be offered in 2021.
Crane Benson Grant Bostick John Creevy Jaedon Duckworth Dexter Friis-Hecht James Holliday Allyson Judge Audrey MannZoe Marquis
Ronan McDade Pierce Minor
Adam Raslan
Susan Tang
Grace Tran
Tony Tran
Anya Trumbach Benjamin Verlander Larsen Vincent Katherine Weaver Ava WilkesDerek Witzig Zachary Zemmels Michael Zengel
According to NMSC, over 1.7 million juniors in about 22,000 high schools entered the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT in October 2019. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors.
With 23 students selected, Ben Franklin once again has the highest number of National Merit Semifinalists in the state of Louisiana.
“The past few months have been so unpredictable, but it is reassuring to see that brightand motivated students at Franklin are continuing to work toward a positive future,”said Dr. Patrick Widhalm, head of school. “Congratulations to the students, theirfamilies, and the teachers who have worked with them.”
Franklin will hold a virtual Admissions Open House on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and all interested families are invited to attend. Applications will be accepted starting on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, at www.bfhsla.org/apply. More details can be found on the school’s website at www.bfhsla.org/admissions.
For more information, please contact Eve Peyton at (504) 503-0062 or epeyton@bfhsla.org .

About Benjamin Franklin High School
Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans’ most outstanding public charterschool, has been preparing students for success through academic achievement since itsfounding in 1957. Consistently ranked as a “top public high school in the nation” by U.S.News & World Report, Newsweek, and Business Week, Franklin has received thehighest School Performance School in Louisiana, making it the No. 1 public school in thestate, year after year. Ben Franklin is repeatedly named a National Blue Ribbon School,producing Presidential and National Merit Scholars each year. The exceptional students,faculty, and staff at Ben Franklin are the best and the brightest in New Orleans. Formore information, please visit bfhsla.org .