Class of 2026 SSFS Students Recognized by National Merit Scholarship Program

Sandy Spring Friends School is pleased to announce that four members of the Class of 2026 have been named Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program, and one senior has qualified as a Semifinalist. Congratulations to the following Commended Students:

• Liam Edmonds-Moore
• Dylan Steiner
• Steve Kim
• Ian Donahue

and to Semifinalist, Justin Carr!

Below, please see statements issued by the National Merit Scholarship Program regarding these scholars. 

National Merit Scholarship Program: Semifinalists

NMSC is proud to announce the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit® Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring. To compete for National Merit Scholarships, Semifinalists must advance to the Finalist level of the competition by fulfilling several additional requirements. A Semifinalist can become a Finalist and compete for a Merit Scholarship award in only one program year. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and about half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. 

National Merit Scholarship Program: Commended Students

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2025 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2025 competition by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®). 

"Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success," commented a spokesperson for NMSC. "These students represent a valuable national resources; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success."