center three pictured, left to right: Edwin Chen, Jacob Coulter, Rylan McClain
Five Union High School Seniors have been named 2025-2026 National Merit Finalists, among them are three Union Bands students! Let’s congratulate:
Edwin Chen, son of Zhenyu H. Chen and Jane Luo, of Tulsa;
Jacob Coulter, son of John and Jane Coulter, of Broken Arrow
Rylan McClain, son of Jeremy and Chenelle McClain, of Broken Arrow
ABOUT NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. Finalists will be named in February 2026.
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.
To participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program, a student must:
Be enrolled full time as a high school student, progressing normally toward graduation or completion of high school, and planning to enter college no later than the fall following completion of high school;
Be a citizen of the United States or, if not now a citizen, a permanent U.S. resident (or an applicant for permanent residency) in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen; and
Take the PSAT/NMSQT ® in the specified year of the high school program and no later than the third year in grades 9 through 12, regardless of grade classification or educational pattern.
