Avondale High School is proud to celebrate seniors Brandon Chan, Benjamin Decoster, and Ajitesh Ravula for earning national recognition as Commended Students in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. This distinction places them among the top 50,000 students in the nation who demonstrated exceptional academic ability on the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
A Letter of Commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented to these outstanding students by Principal Doug Wilson.
About 34,000 Commended Students across the country are being honored this fall for their exceptional academic promise. Although Commended Students will not continue in the 2026 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, their high performance reflects a deep commitment to academic excellence and achievement.
“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “These students represent a valuable national resource; 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.”
The National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual academic competition that awards college scholarships based on high performance on the PSAT/NMSQT, typically taken during a student’s junior year. Of the 1.3 million entrants nationwide, approximately 50,000 students receive recognition. About 34,000 of these are named Commended Students, while 16,000 advance to Semifinalist standing—representing the top 1% of high school seniors in each state. Approximately 15,000 Semifinalists advance to Finalist status, and of those Finalists, about half are selected to receive a National Merit Scholarship.
Avondale School District congratulates Brandon, Benjamin, and Ajitesh on this prestigious achievement. Their hard work, curiosity, and commitment to learning exemplify the excellence and spirit of Avondale students.
