Two National Merit Scholarship winners have been announced from Polk County Public Schools.
Congratulations to Jacob Heist and Indrani Nakka from IB Bartow.
Heist and Nakka were among 2,500 National Merit winners announced today. Each will receive a $2,500 scholarship.
The winners, selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, are “judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies,” according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
The National Merit program evaluates students based on their academic records, test scores and difficulty of subjects studied, as well as their involvement in school and community activities.
Approximately 6,700 U.S. students will receive National Merit Scholarships this year, with additional winners being announced in June and July. PCPS had four National Merit winners in 2024-25.
