Seventy-three students from Hawai'i have been named semifinalists in the 2007 National Merit Scholarship program.

The students are among about 16,000 nationwide who will compete for 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards worth $33 million. The students were selected based on their scores on the 2005 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship, semifinalists must meet certain criteria, including producing an outstanding high school academic record, a recommendation from the principal, qualifying SAT scores, and a detailed application from the semifinalist and a school official.

The nationwide semifinalists represent less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors.

The Merit Scholarship winners of 2007 will be announced from April through July.

The semifinalists, as reported by the National Merit Scholarship program:

HAWAI'I

Hilo High: James M. Bishop

Waiakea High: Sara K. Dale

Hawai'i Preparatory Academy: Graham E. Johnson.

Kamehameha Schools (Kea'au): Lauren A. Carvalho

Konawaena High: Kim M. Nichols.

MAUI

King Kekaulike High: Ian Y. Dela Cruz.

Seabury Hall: Marlise A. Armstrong, Mirabel A. Bradley, Anna A. Clark.

Kamehameha Schools: Kalani K. Rosell.

Home school: Sara A. Reiley.

O'AHU

Hawaii Baptist Academy: Jesslyn O. Cheong, Daniel W. Cosson, Bethany A. Rawlings

Iolani School: Lori C. Arakaki, Joshua D. Busse, Ruth Chen, Alexander K. Chun, Dianna Dai, Noah K. Goshi, Kelsi K. Hirai, Xiaolong Hou, Chau B. Huynh, Marisa L. Ideta, Lucy X. Liu, Daniel J. Lum, Sarah K. Matsui, Sean T. Matsuwaka, Taryn R. Nakamura, Jennifer N. Nishioka, Roydan N. Ongie, Kevin R. Otsuka, Yoichi Sagawa, David H. Saito, Shawn E. Tokairin, Sara S. Tsukamoto, Michael Uyemura, Kon L. Weber, Andrea S. Wong, David R. Yamashiro, Nathan C. Yang, Tianzan Zhou.

Kalani High: Tony Fujii, Taoran Li.

Kamehameha Schools (Kapalama): Lara A. Evensen, Matthew Mariconda.

McKinley High: Yeeting Lee, Elyse W. Takashige.

Punahou School: Traci Aoki, Patricia Boxold, Monica Burns, Alexandra Galati, Peter K. Gottlieb, Lisa A. Gulmon, Kimberly E. Hall, Max A. Halvorson, Chloe S. Hartwell, Scott L. Hong, Brett K. Kan, Liana T. Kobayashi, Jennifer I. Lai, Ingrid S. Lao, Erica M. Mau, Zoe S. Morrison, Martine J. Seiden, Henry A. Thornhill, Sara H. Timtim, Mari N. Turk, Christina M. Wong.

Sacred Hearts Academy: Virginia J. Lenander, Cara M. Smith.

St. Andrew's Priory: Sarah A. Swanson.

Saint Louis School: Matthew D. Choy.