Sandpoint High School’s Keane Haesle is one of a select few.

The SHS senior found out Tuesday that he was selected as a semi-finalist for the 2024 National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a not-for-profit organization that awards scholarships to high school seniors annually. This year, program officials selected 16,000 semifinalists out of 1.3 million juniors from across 21,000 high schools. Semifinalists are chosen based on preliminary SAT scores.

“The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state,” National Merit Scholarship officials said.

When Haesle arrived at a surprise meeting with school administrators and his mom to announce the news, he responded with gratitude for their support. He credits encouragement from his family and teachers for his academic success.

“I want to thank the Sandpoint High School staff, teachers, and culture,” Haesle said. “We have a really positive administration and staff helping kids.”

He also said hard work never hurts. For students entering the testing stage, he suggests dedicating time to studying the PSAT.

“I would do practice tests and reflect on what I got wrong,” Haesle said. “Then do it again. Then do so many iterations until I understood how the test worked. You see patterns, then it’s easier to know the test and do well.”

His long-term goals include going to medical school and maybe working toward a career as a neurosurgeon. He also said he could imagine himself traveling to other countries to provide affordable surgeries and medical procedures for people across the globe who need help. However, he said his plans are still being determined. Texas A&M University and Purdue University are two schools on Haesle’s “top choice” list.

Jeralyn Mire, post-secondary transition counselor at SHS, said she is overjoyed to see another high school student tackling challenges with vigor and humility.

“It’s exciting that he loves to learn,” Mire said. “He loves to gain knowledge and is constantly challenging himself. And he does it without trampling over anyone else.”

Finalists will be chosen based on an essay written by the student, a recommendation from a high school official, and grades and SAT scores that align with the student’s PSAT score. Fifteen thousand students are expected to advance to the next level. From there, 7,140 National Merit Scholarships totalling about $28 million will be distributed. Winners of 2024 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July, officials sate.