Keegan named National Merit finalist

The future is bright for Sandpoint High School senior John Keegan.

Not just because of his diverse interests and passion for learning, but also because he was recently named a National Merit finalist. The National Merit program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

"I think for John, it just opens more doors," Jeralyn Mire, SHS post-secondary transition counselor, said. "There are many schools like University of Idaho, they really treasure bringing [National Merit] students to campus because they are passionate about learning and they're bringing that with them."

While typically the school invents a reason to get semi-finalist and finalists to the office to surprise them with a celebration with their family, that didn't happen in Keegan's case.

Mire said she "blew the surprise" after seeing how stressed Keegan was getting over not knowing whether he had earned a spot as a finalist or not.

"He was so worried I had to tell him," she added.

His mother, Elle Susnis, said she was proud of her son and all that he has accomplished. While he has worked hard, it has been the "village" behind him that have allowed her son to soar.

"All the way up through his whole career, we've had wonderful teachers, and support for John to really go after his interests and try new things," she said. "And we really have always tried to support that with him. And I think, you know, he's a wonderful, well-rounded person as a result, and I couldn't be prouder of him."

While he was nervous about whether he had made it or not, Keegan said it was more because he hadn't heard anything and knew he should be hearing soon.

"I think during the end, and I didn't know it was going to be a surprise because I figured I would either get it or I wouldn't. And somebody would tell me right away but [that didn't happen.]

So, when she saw Keegan was getting stressed, Mire said she had to let him know.

For now, he said he is just excited to have been named a finalist. He will weigh his options on where to go or what to study later, Keegan said.

While the University of Idaho offers him the best deal — a full ride with tuition, books and housing paid covered — Keegan said he is still weighing his options.

"I never really knew how I was gonna pay for college," he said. "So I was like, I'll just get a free ride somehow, but I didn't know how and I'm glad it actually manifested itself."

He said he's never had a dream school, focusing more on what programs the schools offer and what opportunities it affords him.

"I don't really want to go to like a big fancy school necessarily," he added. "I've never really thought about it too much, but just wherever I can learn cool things."

Currently taking music theory and choir, Keegan said he loves learning about music, saying it's taught him a lot.

"There's just all these windows that keep opening into more deeper things that I never even imagined people thought about before," he added. "I keep wanting to learn more instruments and work on making my voice better."

Keegan isn't sure, just yet, what he plans to study in college because his interests vary, ranging from sciences to the arts and everything in-between.

"I don't know yet because there's so many things that I like doing," he said. "Mostly, what I'm thinking right now is either mechanical engineering, film, or music of some kind, or some combo of those because my interests bounce around so often. But those I've kind of stuck with so that's what makes me think I want to do that."

The school honors those who are selected as National Merit semi-finalists and finalists, adding them name to a plaque featured at the front of the school in the display cases lining the entryway.

"It's really cool that we get to add a name to the plaque," SHS Principal David Miles said.

For the school, having National Merit semi-finalists and finalists shows not only that it has a rigorous course of study for students wishing to take an academic path, it also shows that Sandpoint High School students have the ability to succeed, Mire said.

"We have the opportunity to really challenge our students who want to be deep, intellectual beings," she said. "I think it's something that's exciting."

Which is why the school makes selection for the honor into a celebration. Being named a semi-finalist or finalist is a significant accomplishment and they want the students to know what they've done is pretty impressive and they should be proud of all that they have achieved.

Only a small percentage of the country's high school seniors earn a spot as a finalist, Mire said.

"It is a pretty neat thing," she added. "There's only 16,000 of you in the whole United States. It's a really big honor. I mean, to have made it as far as you have."