Steamboat Springs — Two Steamboat Springs High School seniors have been recognized as National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists based on their pre-SAT scores from last October.

Melissa Requist and Logan Sankey are among 16,000 other students across the country who earned the distinction — a group that comprises less than 1 percent of high school seniors this year.

“Both of these girls are brilliant,” said Danica Moss, Steamboat Springs High School college and career counselor.

Moss said that no Steamboat students earned the distinction last year, but historically, about two students per year are recognized as semifinalists.

Moss described the two students as hardworking and extremely bright.

“Melissa, she’s taken every AP class but two that we’ve offered. She’s very driven academically to learn,” Moss said. “And Logan, she’s so down to earth you would never know how amazing she is.”

Sankey is also a competitive ski jumper who last November was named to the U.S. Women’s Ski Jumping team.

“She’s as good at school as she is on her skis,” Moss said.

Sankey and Requist have the opportunity to continue in the competition to receive some of 7,400 available National Merit Scholarships worth a combined $32 million.

In order to advance, semifinalists must submit a detailed scholarship application detailing the student’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, evidence of leadership abilities, employment and honors and awards received.

They must also earn an SAT score this year that confirms their strong earlier performance on the qualifying PSAT test.

About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to become finalists.

To reach Teresa Ristow, call 970-871-4206, email tristow@SteamboatToday.com or follow her on Twitter @TeresaRistow