Iowa Mennonite School senior Timothy Bender has been named a finalist for National Merit Scholarships. He joins 15,000 students nationwide to make it to this level. IMS guidance counselor Dwight Gingerich says this is a huge honor and the school hasn’t had a finalist in years. Bender says the process started over a year ago when he took his PSAT test and was flagged as a possible contender for the award.

The committee who selects the National Merit Scholarship winners will now look at students’ extra curricular activities, community service and personal essays. Scholarships will be awarded to 7,400 students across the country this year and the winners will be named in April.

Also, two finalists attend Mid-Prairie High School they are Hannah VanRoekel and Josh Gingerich.

For the full interview with Bender listen to today’s In Touch with Southeast Iowa.