In February 2025, the finalists for the 2024-2025 National Merit Scholarship were announced. The finalists from South High School were Elizabeth Mahli, Della Philips, Greta Raum, and Lukas Robinson. The process begins with the PSAT, or NSMQT, with a qualifying score leading 16,000 students around the nation to become semifinalists. These semifinalists must submit an application, list extracurriculars, write a personal essay, and get a letter of recommendation. Following this, finalists are chosen. About 6,870 finalists will be chosen for the National Merit Scholarship award.

Della Philips, one of the finalists, worked hard to achieve this title. “I knew that to qualify, I needed to get a very high score on the PSAT. I spent the summer before my junior year studying for it.” There are two sections for this test – Reading & Writing, a strong point for Philips, and Math, the portion that she had to study for. “I ended up spending most of my studying time relearning math concepts.” She received a 1440, qualifying her for semifinalist status, which was a big achievement for her. “I’m proud of the work I did for the test and the application, and grateful for the scholarship it has given me.” Philips will be going on to study biology through the pre-occupational therapy program.