The Oxford School District is thrilled to announce that two Oxford High School seniors have been selected as National Merit Semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program: Jun Jang and Eleanor “Ellie” Jones.
National Merit Semifinalists are selected based on their performance on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) taken during their junior year. This prestigious recognition is awarded to students whose academic achievement ranks them among top scholars nationwide, representing less than one percent of US high school seniors.
Across the nation, over 1.3 million students entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. Approximately 16,000 students earn the honor of National Merit Semifinalists. According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, “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.”
As National Merit Semifinalists, they will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million.
The Oxford School District extends its congratulations to Jun Jang and Ellie Jones, and we wish them continued success in all of their future endeavors. Read more about our National Merit Semifinalists below.
Jun Jang: Jun Jang is a two-time finalist at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the world’s largest pre-college research competition, where he won the National Security Agency 3rd Place Special Award in 2024. At Oxford High School, he serves as the president of the Speech and Debate team. Additionally, he is a member of the 30+ Club, National Honors Society, and has earned recognition as an AP Scholar with Distinction. Jun’s top college choices include Stanford University, Harvard University, and Princeton University, where he plans to pursue a degree in computer science with a focus in computational linguistics.
Jun is the son of Byunghyun Jang and Jihye Seong
Eleanor “Ellie” Jones: Ellie Jones serves as the co-editor-in-chief of the Oxford High School newspaper and is a member of the varsity soccer team, the 30+ Club, Go Green Club, OHS R.I.S.E club, and Sole4Souls. She is also a member of the National Honors Society and has earned recognition as an AP Scholar with Distinction. Although she is undecided on a university, she plans to pursue a degree in architecture or civil engineering.
Ellie is the daughter of Deb and Brad Jones.
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