Waukee CSD Celebrates 15 National Merit Finalists

Fifteen Waukee CSD seniors have been named 2025 National Merit finalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

All finalists were first dubbed semifinalists earlier this school year. After that, the students and a high school official submitted a detailed scholarship application providing information about academic records, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards. The student must also have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Meet the Waukee CSD 2025 National Merit Finalists

 

WHS Finalists

Group of students standing in the hallway smiling for a photo.

  • Max Fahrenkrug
  • Lucy Gannon
  • Maanas Garimella
  • Sreesanth Gude
  • Vishruth Pinna (not pictured)
  • Shubham Sah
  • Yatharth Sirohi
  • Savir Talasila
  • Andrew Wilson

 

NWHS Finalists

Group of students sitting and smiling.

  • Avinash P. Ganti
  • Medha Mandumula
  • Saanvi Nallu
  • Nicholas Smith
  • Vrishank Vennapusa
  • Emma Zheng

 

What’s Next in the Process

The organization says about half of the nation’s finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. Merit Scholars are selected based on their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in their college studies. Scholarship winners will be announced beginning in April.