Menomonie student named National Merit Scholar

May 12—MENOMONIE — Kevin Leach, a senior at Menomonie High School, has been awarded a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

The NMSC, a nonprofit organization, selected Leach from a candidate pool of more than 15,000 finalists across the country, according to a Tuesday news release. Finalists from each state are selected based on a strong combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Merit Scholars are selected by a committee of college admissions officials and high school counselors who appraise information submitted by both finalists and their high schools. This information includes academic records, scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, contributions and leadership in school, community activities, an essay written by the finalist and a recommendation written by a high school official, the news release explained.

Leach, a life-long resident of Menomonie, said he participated in swim, tennis, Science Olympiad, Academic Decathlon and Student Council throughout his high school career. He volunteered as a swim coach for the Menomonie Middle School Boys' Swim Team and the Red Cedar Special Olympics Swim, a baker for Tuesday's Table, and as a Dunn County Crane Count Coordinator.

Leach said his favorite subjects in high school were math and physics, and he one day hopes to pursue a Master's Degree in mathematics.

"I love the problem-solving aspect of math and enjoy the process of finding the correct answer," He explained. "For physics, I really like its application of math to solve real-world problems."

Theresa Westerlund, an English teacher at Menomonie High School, said she has known Leach for two years and had taught him during his junior year in an AP Language and Composition class.

"Kevin's tenure here at Menomonie High School has been marked by excellence," Westerlund said in an emailed statement. "He welcomes challenges by continually pushing himself and consistently taking our high school's most rigorous offerings as well as several college math and science courses. Kevin was one of the hardest workers I have encountered in my twenty-year teaching career and one of the best readers, writers and critical thinkers whom I have taught."

This year's 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program began in October 2020, when high school juniors took the PSAT/NMSQT, which serves as an initial screening of program entrants. Last fall, the highest-scoring students in each state — representing less than 1% of the nation's high school seniors — were named semifinalists.

From the semifinalist group of more than 16,000, more than 15,000 students met the very high academic standards and other requirements needed to advance to the finalist level of the competition.

The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating high school seniors. Leach is one of 47 Wisconsin students to be named a Merit Scholar in the second round of the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program, according to the news release.

Around 1,000 recipients of corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships were named on April 27. An additional 4,000 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship winners will be announced on June 1 and July 11. By the conclusion of this year's competition, about 7,500 academic champions will have won National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $28 million.

Leach said he was "incredibly honored" upon first learning of his award, especially considering how exceptional the other student candidates are.

"I would just like to express my gratitude to all those whose influence and support led me to be awarded this prestigious scholarship," Leach said.

"Every teacher that I have encountered in the School District of the Menomonie Area has been influential in my successes," Leach added, "however, there are a few teachers that were particularly instrumental. Mr. Stanley, my AP Physics teacher, instilled a passion for learning in me. Mrs. Westerlund, my AP English and Language Composition teacher, taught me the intricacies of the written word. Señora Ramirez, better known as Profe, my Spanish teacher, taught me the importance of a global perspective."

Following graduation, Leach said he will attend the University of Idaho, where he will double major in mathematics and statistics.

"After finishing all postsecondary education, I am unsure of what career I will go into, but being a data scientist is the most intriguing to me at this time because I can combine my passions of math and coding while also helping people," Leach said.

In addition to the National Merit Scholarship, Leach has also been awarded the Menomonie Lions Club Scholarship, the Westconsin Credit Union 2022 Menomonie High School Scholarship, the Menomonie/Colfax Kiwanis Club Scholarship, and the David and Jean Sjuggerud Memorial Scholarship. The University of Idaho also awarded Leach its National Merit Finalist Scholarship.