SHS student named semifinalist for national merit scholarship

SANDPOINT — When Sandpoint High School’s John Keegan learned he had been named a National Merit semifinalist, he quipped: “I guess I’m going to college.”

The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition.

Keegan qualified as a semifinalist for the scholarship when his results for the PSAT came out.

“I'm just really excited that we've got a semifinalist at SHS and I’m happy for John and his family,” said SHS Principal David Miles.

It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve semifinalist status, said Miles.

Keegan said he was more than surprised by his academic achievement. When the schedule changed last year, the shorter school days required Keegan to do more work at home — something he found challenging.

“I'm very bad at keeping up on homework,” he said. “But somehow it always works out. Like I end up procrastinating all the time, but I always get it in right before it's due.

“I can’t say I’m surprised though. If anyone could do it, John could,” said Mike Martz science teacher at SHS. “I get to interact with some of the brightest and best of SHS. John really surpasses this standard; as a bright young freshman it was clear that John was extremely bright and as a junior in physics it was obvious that John is in the top few percent of his class.”

Keegan has a simpler, more humble explanation: He has good test taking skills.

For the SATs, Keegan said didn’t study in a traditional way. Instead, he used Khan Academy as a refresher on topics. He bases his success on taking full length practice tests which familiarized him in taking long-form tests.

SHS does a great job helping its students prepare for college entrance exams, said Jeralyn Mire, SHS post-secondary transition counselor. Part of the school’s budget pays the fee for students to take the PSAT as a freshman and junior while the state pays for them to take it as a 10th grader.

“We believe in preparing our students and have opportunities and options,” said Mire. “I think our students are really prepared when it's testing time, they know how to do it right. We're just used to it. It's not this big, scary, horrible thing.”

In anticipation of finalist status Keegan is looking at his options for college.

Like many high school seniors, Keegan is not sure what he wants to do. His two passions are engineering and photography.

“Last year I took physics honors. And I really liked the sort of physical classical mechanics of things falling and collisions,” said Keegan. “So I feel like that would be a lot in engineering. That excites me.”

Keegan has taken 3D design at SHS all four years and is fascinated with the ecology class he is taking. With so many options he is unsure which to pick, said Keegan.

“John had never let free time disappear without doing something creative,” said Malia Meschko Career & Technical Education. “He learned a great deal about using software to create designs that have meaning.”

“I think John will be able to partner that engineering brain with something on his creative side,” said Mire.

Keegan is thinking about attending University of Idaho, Washington State University or Boise State University.

Keegan joins the ranks of past SHS students that have been merit scholars finalists and semifinalists.

Approximately 16,000 semifinalists round out the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, said the scholarship program in a press release. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million which will be available early next spring.

About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.

The National Merit Scholarship Program does not measure the quality or effectiveness of education within a school, system, or state.