Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County’s 2025 Youth of the Year, Colton H., was just announced a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist. He is one of only two from Skagit County this year–there are 390 in Washington State and a total of 16,000 nationwide. Around 1.3 million high school juniors entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. Current semifinalists around the country make up less than 1% of the nation’s high school seniors. Colton received a perfect score on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which is used to screen applicants.
Semifinalists are expected to compete for 6,930 scholarships worth $26 million that will be offered next spring. Around 95% of semifinalists are expected to move on to become a finalist in the competition, and about half of those will win a scholarship and the prestigious title of merit scholar.
“It’s a huge honor,” Colton told a local paper, the Anacortes American, recently, in regard to being named a semifinalist. “I’m humbled and excited.”
Colton is a state debate champion and varsity tennis player, who also serves as the director of legislative affairs on Washington’s Legislative Youth Advisory Council. Earlier this year, he became Washington’s second-ever student to win the Ninth Circuit Civics Essay Contest. Colton is also the youth director for Anacortes-based Sunflower F.U.N.D., an organization that’s been raising money for Ukrainian aid organizations since Russia invaded the country in 2022. Colton plans to attend a four-year university and study public policy.
Congratulations, Colton!