Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation have announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 65th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $31 million that will be offered next spring. Locally, Maya Gottshall from Fairfield High School and Jesse Slater of Hillcrest Academy, the former Iowa Mennonite School, in Kalona were recognized.