TF senior named National Merit semifinalist

Thompson Falls High School senior Ethan Brown has been named a semifinalist in the 65th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Brown is one of approximately 16,000 in the country and 44 from Montana who will compete for 7,600 scholarships worth more than $31 million.

Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to be named a finalist. Those include having outstanding an academic record throughout high school and being endorsed by a high school official. About 15,000 students are expected to advance to the finalist level, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Counselor Jodi Morgan said Brown is the first student during her 12-year tenure at Thompson Falls High School to be named a National Merit Semifinalist.

"I am so proud of him. This does not happen very often," Morgan said. "Ethan had the highest ACT score that I've ever had a student receive in 22 years in education. He's a gifted student and this is really exciting."

Brown, the son of Jason and Jenna Brown, will find out in February if he has been named a National Merit Scholarship finalist and scholarships will be awarded beginning in April, depending on which college he chooses to attend.