With 14 National Merit Scholar semifinalists, Strawberry Crest High School is second only to King High School among Hillsborough County high schools.
At 60 students, Hillsborough leads the state in total semifinalists. Hillsborough is the third largest school district in the state but had more than Miami-Dade and Broward, the state’s two largest districts. Neighboring Pinellas County had 14, and Pasco County had seven.
National Merit semifinalists represent less than one percent of the nation’s high school seniors. About 1.5 million students across the nation vied for the honor of being among the nation’s most academically talented high school seniors.
“Here in Hillsborough, we have a strong emphasis on preparing students to be college or career ready,” said Superintendent MaryEllen Elia. “Our teachers are doing a great job preparing students for rigorous courses, and the students are rising to the challenge.”