WHEELING — A pair of Wheeling Park High School students have found themselves in rarified air among the high school seniors in the United States, announced as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists on Tuesday.

WPHS seniors Christopher Alkhouri and Nathan Tyska have been picked among around 16,000 semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring.

As semifinalists, Alkhouri and Tyska are part of a group that represents less than 1% of United States high school seniors.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to

See Full Page