Three SPHS Students Recognized Semifinalists For Prestigious National Scholarship

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation released the names of 16,000 semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship program this fall. Severna Park High School students Abbie Heath and Peter Judge, and former Severna Park student and Marylander Benjamin Elliffe, top the Maryland scholars.

According to a September press release, more than “1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.”

Abbie Heath

Abbie Heath is a 17-year-old senior who plans to go into a STEM field of study in college next year, but since she’s also interested in sociology and history, she may have to rule out something or double major. She would prefer to study on the West Coast or in New England.

Heath volunteered as much as she could over the summer, often several days per week, while working three days per week to help pay for college. She said the scholarship will make a tremendous difference in her future decision making.

“This scholarship [is worth] more than I made [this summer]. That might mean time to take a summer class or internship instead of working full-time for cash over the breaks when I get to college, or it could mean the difference between being able to go to a more expensive college that I feel more affinity with and going to one less fitting,” Heath added. “In terms of decision making, it may allow me to pursue those things I’m truly interested in; this is a hefty sum that will really change things for me.”

Heath said Severna Park High School is full of opportunities for students, including the supportive teachers and staff that challenge students to reach their full potential by giving them the confidence to explore and exercise their abilities.

“What really sticks out about our school is that the teachers are, mostly, here because they’re passionate about making a change in students and shaping well-rounded people to do great things in society,” added Heath, noting Eleonor Nulud, an Advanced Placement chemistry teacher, who was an early and steadfast influence during her high school experience.

Heath was a four-year member of the Model United Nations (MUN) club, and an officer for the past two. She was a two-year co-captain of It’s Academic, and as a member of the math team, she twice earned the Donald Wertz Memorial Award for placing in the top five national math placement scores.

She has earned numerous awards including Best Delegate for general ability in regional MUN conferences, the Maryland Seal of Biliteracy for Spanish junior year, perfect Advance Placement test scores, and recognition as a member of Mensa Maryland and the U.S. Mensa.

Peter Judge

For Peter Judge, as a senior committed to the United States Coast Guard Academy to study naval architecture and marine engineering, he is ineligible to receive the scholarship’s financial award, but he is proud to have been recognized.

“Severna Park High School has prepared me for the next step by giving me the opportunities to take classes that set me up well for studying engineering, such as AP physics, AP calculus, and the engineering classes from the Project Lead the Way program the school offers,” Judge added.

He’s the captain of the high school sailing team and an avid member of the school vocabulary club. He noted that his favorite classes are AP physics and language.

Benjamin Elliffe

Benjamin Elliffe, who now lives out of state, finds he isn’t able to take as many Advanced Placement classes in his new school as he could have at Severna Park High School. He said he feels being recognized as a semifinalist will show colleges that he is committed to his academics.

“Both academically and financially, being named a merit semifinalist takes a lot of pressure off. It has opened the door to more colleges,” Elliffe said. “If I am granted a scholarship by the college board, it would help a lot.”

Semifinalists represent the top 1% of graduating seniors in the nation. The 2,500 National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2025 and represent a $2,500 award.