On Wednesday, September 13, the National Merit Scholarship Program named Washington Academy senior Dakoda Davis as a semifinalist. The 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program announced 16,000 semifinalists who will continue to the competition for 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth $28 million.
Dakoda is a well-rounded and engaged Washington Academy student. He is very active in Washington Academy student leadership as a class president, student council co-president, and a three-year member of the prestigious National Honor Society. Dakoda has been a high honor student throughout his years at Washington Academy.
This summer, he spent a week at the Consider Engineering Program at the University of Maine at Orono. Consider Engineering is a very competitive program to be accepted, with only half the applicants considered. Dakoda was one of two Washington County students chosen to participate. He also spent an additional week attending the University's Cohen Institute High School Leadership Program, honing his leadership skills and passion for civics.
When Dakoda isn't excelling in the classroom or being a student leader, he runs with the Raider cross country and track teams. He is a four-year Raider athlete.
The National Merit Scholarship Program states approximately 95 percent of its semifinalists will be named finalists, with half awarded a National Merit Scholarship, earning a Merit Scholar title. And finalists will be announced in the spring of 2024. Next fall, Dakoda plans to attend the University of Maine at Orono, pursuing an engineering degree.