Licking Heights Local Schools is proud to announce that senior Brooks Girum is a semifinalist in the prestigious National Merit Scholar scholarship competition.
Girum earned his place in the semifinals by scoring in the top 0.5% of senior students who took the PSAT nationally. Out of 1.3 million American students who took the PSAT, Girum is one of 16,000 Semifinalists from across the nation.
To advance as a Finalist, Girum will need to complete a rigorous application process detailing his:
—Academic record
—Participation in school and community activities
—Leadership experience
—Employment
—Previous honors and awards received
Girum must also receive an endorsement from a high school official, write an essay and earn a score on the formal SAT confirming his performance on the qualifying test.
“Having a National Merit Scholar semifinalist is a big deal for the district. It shows us that what we are doing for our students to prepare them for that level of achievement is working,” says Troy Current, school counselor at Licking Heights High School. “Brooks is an extremely hard worker both in the classroom and outside of it. He has challenged himself by taking multiple AP and CCP classes. He has a 4.2 GPA and is currently taking 2 more AP courses.”
This school year, there are 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth a combined $28 million available for the winners. Students earning the National Merit Scholar title are also eligible for additional scholarships depending on which college or university they attend.
This is not Girum’s first time earning national recognition for his outstanding academic performance. In Fall 2023, he earned the National African American Recognition Award from the College Board. To qualify for a National Recognition Award, students must score in the top 10% of PSAT test takers from their award program in the state and earn a cumulative GPA of B+ or higher by the time of submission. This year, Girum earned additional recognitions through the First Generation Award and Rural and Small Town Award.
Outside of academics, Girum is a member of the award-winning Marching Hornets, serving as a percussion section leader. He spent his 2024 summer vacation interning with the Licking Heights technology team, equipping classrooms and district offices for the 2024-25 school year.
Next year, Girum plans to study medicine in college. He wants to focus primarily on the pharmaceutical field, and is applying to schools with top programs like Ohio State, Johns Hopkins and multiple Ivy League universities.
Girum is not the only Licking Heights student receiving recognition for his successes on the PSAT. The following students have also earned National Recognitions from the College Board for their academic successes. Available national recognition awards include: African American Recognition, First-Generation Recognition, Hispanic Recognition, Indigenous Recognition and Rural and Small Town Recognition.
—Natalie Ampadu, Rural and Small Town Recognition
—Amos Babalola, Rural and Small Town; First Generation; African American Recognition
—Conner Campbell, Rural and Small Town Recognition
—Salina Chimoriya, First Generation Recognition
—Bhim Dhimal, First Generation; Rural and Small Town Recognition
—Sansebilat Gambo, African American Recognition
—Hawanatu Kabia, African American Recognition
—Bisesh Katel, First Generation; Rural and Small Town Recognition
—Elizabeth Killey, Rural and Small Town Recognition
—Lydia Mitchell, African American Recognition
—Eric Ngo, First Generation; Rural and Small Town Recognition
—Katie Slater, First Generation Recognition
—Lely Yadessa, African American; First Generation Recognition