Catholic Central is proud to announce that eight seniors have been named Commended Students in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. 

These seniors are Dylan Cregar '25, Fischer Datesman '25, Jarod Dufield '25, Yechiel Gutiérrez-Diaz '25, Ian Lee '25, Nicholas Leiter '25, Louis Weber '25, and Benjamin Yancey '25.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Program, Commended Students are recognized for their outstanding ability and potential for academic success in college. 

Students earn this nomination by placing in the top 50,000 (out of roughly 1.5 million) test takers on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT). 

Although they do not continue into the National Merit Scholarship competition, some Commended Students may be eligible for Special Scholarships offered by corporate sponsors. 

“The academic environment at Catholic Central fosters a healthy balance between rigor and support. The numerous resources and passionate teachers at one's disposal create many avenues for academic excellence. Catholic Central produces young men who strive for knowledge and rewards those with dedication,” stated Nick Leiter ‘25.

Ian Lee ‘25 shared, “I wanted to attend a prestigious high school that placed emphasis on Christian values and had strong alumni connections and brotherhood.”

“I decided to attend CC because it is the best school.  My favorite thing about CC is the community. CC, unlike many other high schools, prioritizes relationships and CC makes sure to stop anything that could hinder this, like school bullying or fights,” stated Jarod Dufield ‘25. 

“CC's renowned academic and athletic reputation within the state of Michigan attracted me to the school. CC's legacy and tradition of excellence in all facets made me want to be a part of its community and leave a mark on the school. My favorite thing about CC is the breadth of kids that you will meet: you will meet kids from numerous different counties with numerous different interests that are here for numerous different reasons. The faith-based foundation and Basilian tenets further reinforced my desire to attend CC,” Dylan Cregar ‘25 shared.

Louis Weber shared, “I plan to go to college with a pre-med major and from there go on to become a surgeon.”

“I'm happy that I've been recognized. I hope it makes my parents proud,” stated Fischer Datesman ‘25.

Ben Yancey '25 stated, “It's incredibly special to me to be recognized as a National Merit Scholar. I feel like this is almost a culmination of all the hard work I've put in during my years at CC, and it's very fulfilling for me to finally see the fruits of my labor realized. That being said, I'm going to take this accomplishment and try to build on it so I can become even more competitive academically each and every day.”

“The academic environment at Catholic Central has students pushing themselves and others to achieve the peak of their academic potential. Students help each other in order to bring out the best grades possible in each other,” Yechiel Gutiérrez-Díaz '25 shared.

In addition to our eight commended students, Catholic Central is also proud to have four Semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Competition.

Congratulations to our amazing students! Your Catholic Central family is so proud of you.

Learn more about the National Merit Scholarship Program here.