Bellingham Public Schools has two finalists and 14 commended students in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Competition. To qualify for the competition, students took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) during the 2022-23 school year.

Sehome High School student Noah Z. Chen and Squalicum High School student Ethan Rockwell were named finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Finalists are in the top third of 50,000 high scorers and are designated on a state-representational basis. View requirements online.

District commended students included Bellingham High School’s Noah Bandstra, Margaret Costello, Gabriel Miner, Jonah Rubert, Lily Skoczen and Calla Young;    Sehome High School’s Luke Byrngleson, Adria Clines, Penelope Keep, Erin Lin, Matthew MacGregor, Erica Mao, Elliot Smith and Ke’ala Stauber. Commended students were also among the top 50,000 high scorers, but do not continue in the National Merit competition. They received a letter of commendation for outstanding academics.