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71st Annual National Merit Finalists

National Merit Graphic

February 20, 2026

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of 21 Horry County Schools students as Finalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These HCS students will have an opportunity to win one of over 6,900 National Merit Scholarships worth a combined total of nearly $26 million. 

HCS National Merit Finalists

  • From Loris High: Caitlyn Black and Alastair Wriglesworth

  • From North Myrtle Beach High: Matthew Carter

  • From Scholars Academy High: Amelia Bunker, Charlotte Carter, Ryan Cox, Stone Furse, Anthony Giorlando, Samuel Hitt, Jolin Huang, Robert Hucks, Joslyn Livingston, Blake Maillet, Alexander Nikolov, Zander Spear, Margaret Truluck, and John Vehige

  • From Socastee High: Landon Brungard 

  • From St. James High: Banks Wates, and Nicholas Wnuk

  • From St. James High and the Academy for the Arts, Science & Technology: Vivian Xiao

National Merit Finalists

Photo of Ryan Cox
Ryan Cox

HCS Scholars Academy High School

The image shows a young woman with long, dark hair and a warm, friendly smile against a blurred blue background.
Vivian Xiao

Academy for the Arts, Science & Technology and St. James High

High school juniors across the country entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and his or her high school must submit a detailed scholarship application. They provide information about the Semifinalist's academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student's earlier performance on the qualifying test.

From the approximately 16,000 Semifinalists, about 15,000 typically advance to the Finalist level. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected based on their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, regardless of gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2025. Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships awarded on a state-representational basis. About 830 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 150 corporations and business organizations for Finalists who meet their specified criteria. In addition, about 150 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 3,600 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution. 

National Merit Scholarship winners of 2026 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July.