Four Richland One High School Graduates Named 2025 National Merit Scholarship Recipients

Four Richland One Class of 2025 graduates have been named 2025 National Merit Scholarship winners. The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes academically talented high school seniors across the country.

Richland One’s National Merit Scholarship recipients are Dreher High School graduates Spencer Bush, Robert Leonardi and Beckham O’Neill and A.C. Flora High School graduate William Beasley. These students are among the more than 3,600 college-sponsored recipients of the scholarship.

William and Robert will be attending the University of South Carolina in the fall; and Spencer and Beckham will be attending Clemson University.

High school juniors entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than 1 percent 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. 

To qualify as finalists, semifinalists must submit a detailed scholarship application which includes their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, honors and awards. They also must have an exemplary high school academic record, be endorsed by a high school official, write an essay and earn an SAT or ACT score that confirms the student’s academic performance. 

National Merit Scholarship winners are selected based on their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in college.  

###

PHOTO 1: A.C. Flora High School Class of 2025 graduate William Beasley was named a 2025 National Merit Scholarship recipient.

 

PHOTO 2: Dreher High School Class of 2025 graduate Spencer Bush was named a 2025 National Merit Scholarship recipient.

 

PHOTO 3: Dreher High School Class of 2025 graduate Robert Leonardi was named a 2025 National Merit Scholarship recipient.

 

 

PHOTO 4: Dreher High School Class of 2025 graduate Beckham O’Neill was named a 2025 National Merit Scholarship recipient.