Jackson's Noah Sparks finalist for National Merit Scholarship

The Jackson School District announced Wednesday senior Noah Sparks has been named a finalist in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program, one of two finalists from Southeast Missouri.

The district posted to the Jackson High School Facebook page about the announcement and said, "This is a great achievement for Noah and we are proud of his accomplishments!"

Sparks is one of approximately 15,000 finalists in the 66th annual program, including another local senior, Claire Southard of Cape Girardeau, who attends Notre Dame Regional High School, which was announced earlier this week.

All finalists, including Sparks and Southard, have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million in total that will be offered next spring.

Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin or religious preference, according to the organization.

Sparks is the son of Garrett and Amy Sparks. He plans to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla to pursue a degree in chemical engineering in hopes of becoming a biochemical engineer.

He is a member of the Future Business Leaders of America at Jackson High School, a peer tutor, choir member, Spanish Club member, National Honors Society member, player on the varsity soccer team and a member of Crossroads Church in Jackson. Sparks also received a perfect score of 36 on his ACT.

National Merit Scholarship Corp., a not-for-profit organization operating without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 400 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC's goals of honoring the nation's scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence, according to the organization.

National Merit Scholarship winners of 2021 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. The scholarship recipients will join more than 353,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.