Two Saline County high school seniors—a Bryant High School student and a homeschool student from Bauxite—have been named Semifinalists in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Bryant High School senior Ayana Meyer and Bauxite homeschool student Aaron Hubmann were among more than 16,000 students nationwide selected for the prestigious academic honor. Read more below.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the nationwide pool of Semifinalists on Wednesday, Sept. 9. The honor represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest-scoring entrants on the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
About Ayana:
Among the local honorees is Ayana Meyer, a senior at Bryant High School and the daughter of Hiroko Meyer and stepdaughter of Jeff Woolsey. A Bryant student since fourth grade, Meyer was part of the inaugural student body at Parkway Elementary. At Bryant High School, she is a member of the band and has taken multiple Advanced Placement courses.
Following graduation, Meyer plans to pursue a degree in finance, with Duke University and Rice University among the colleges she is considering. “I’m just glad that I get the opportunity as a semifinalist,” Meyer said. “Even if I don’t make it as a finalist, it’s really crazy to think about.”
About Aaron:
Also earning Semifinalist standing is Aaron Hubmann, a homeschool senior from Bauxite. Hubmann stays active in the local community by working at The Blue Hole Market & Creamery and volunteering at The Bauxite Depot, where he operates “The Depot Kids Train” as “Engineer Aaron.” After high school, Hubmann hopes to study computer science and continue his passion for train photography.
Both students will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for roughly 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million that will be offered next spring. To advance to Finalist standing, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements, including submitting a detailed scholarship application, demonstrating an outstanding academic record, writing an essay, and earning confirming SAT or ACT scores. About 95 percent of Semifinalists are expected to reach the Finalist level, with winners announced beginning in April 2027.
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