Nathan Hurtig, Ada High School senior, has qualified as a semi-finalist in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program. The announcement was made this week with the release of the semi-finalist list.

Hurtig is the son of Julie and Mike Hurtig of Ada.

Over 1.5 million juniors in over 21,000 high schools entered the program by taking the 2018 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants.

The nationwide pool of semi-finalists , represents less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors, which includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

To become a finalist, Hurtig and an Ada HS staff member must submit a scholarship application, which includes academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment and honors and awards received.

About 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level. Those students will be notified in February.