OHS Students Crawford, Vanbeber Named National Merit Semifinalists

Owasso High School seniors Jackson Crawford and Morris Vanbeber were named by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as being among the approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program, it was announced today.

Crawford and Morris will have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $24 million that will be offered in the Spring of 2027. 

“Being named a National Merit Semifinalist is a tremendous accomplishment, and it speaks to the hard work and dedication that Jackson and Morris have put into their education,” OPS Superintendent Dr. Margaret Coates said. “They have truly embraced what it means to ‘Be Your Best’, and they are wonderful representatives of Owasso High School. We are incredibly proud of both of them and excited to see all that they will accomplish in the future.”

High school juniors entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2025 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. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which 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 SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from the group of Finalists, which will be announced in February 2027. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

National Merit Scholarship winners of 2027 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 395,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.