McKinney, Texas — Six McKinney ISD seniors from McKinney Boyd High School, McKinney High School and McKinney North High School who qualified in the fall as National Merit Semifinalists have been named Finalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

McKinney ISD’s six National Merit Finalists were honored at the March MISD Board of Trustees meeting. (l-r) McKinney North Principal Jae Gaskill, McKinney Boyd senior Nisal Gamage, MISD Superintendent Shawn Pratt, McKinney Boyd senior Matthew Johnson, McKinney High School senior Zainakai Blair-Roberts, McKinney Boyd senior Isaiah Williams, MISD Senior Director of Teaching and Learning Garry Gorman, McKinney Boyd Principal Dr. Jennifer Peirson, Coordinator of Secondary GT and Advanced Academics Dr. Javetta Jones Roberson, McKinney High School Principal Dr. Paula Kent and McKinney High School senior Finnegan Sutka. Not pictured: McKinney North senior Braden White was not able to attend.

McKinney North High School National Merit Finalist Braden White

McKinney Boyd High School National Merit Finalists

Nisal Gamage
Matthew Johnson
Isaiah Williams

McKinney High School National Merit Finalists

Zainakai Blair-Roberts
Finnegan Sutka

McKinney North High School National Merit Finalist

Braden White

These six MISD seniors were among the approximately 1.5 million high school students who entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program when they took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) in 2022, as juniors, which served as an initial screen of program entrants.

As Finalists, these MISD students have the opportunity to continue in the National Merit Scholarship competition for some 7,880 scholarships valued at over $35 million that will be awarded this spring.

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be awarded:

• 2,500 National Merit® $2500 Scholarships
• 840 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships awarded by 160 corporations and business organizations
• 3,800 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards from 160 colleges and universities for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution

National Merit Scholarship winners of 2024 will be announced between April and July. These scholarship recipients will join the ranks of those who have earned the distinguished Merit Scholar title.

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