Students Named To National Merit Scholarship Program

Erin Watanabe (photo courtesy of Cohen and Park)

Newport High School and Taft 7-12 announced that Erin Watanabe and Ethan Price have been named as Commended Students in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program. A Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented by the principal of each school to these scholastically talented seniors.

Erin Watanabe, a senior at Newport High School, is the daughter of Bruce and Tina Watanabe of Newport. She is an International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate, AVID Tutor, and holds a 4.0 cumulative GPA. She is a four year varsity cheerleader, cheer captain, 2019 OSAA State Cheerleading Champion, and two time OCCA All State Team Member. She is involved in Leadership and Junior Optimists Club.

Ethan Price, a senior at Taft 7-12 School, was also named a Commended Student in the 2020

Ethan Price (photo courtesy of Cohen and Park)

National Merit Scholarship Program is the son of Dave and Niki Price of Lincoln City. He is a member of the debate team, National Honor Society, Key Club and holds a 3.96 cumulative GPA.  At Taft he has participated in cross country for 4 years, swimming for 4 years and is currently apart of our leadership program.  Ethan continues to take our advanced AP and Dual credit classes on his way to graduation this year. 

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2020 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2020 competition by taking the 2018 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 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."