Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A senior at Howell High School has been named a Commended Student in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Mia Vlies was presented with a Letter of Commendation from Howell High School and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) to honor the achievement. While Commended students will not continue in the 2023 competition for the National Merit Scholarship awards, they have placed in the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2023 competition by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

A spokesperson for NMSC commented "Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success. These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success."

Howell High School Principal Jason Schrock said nearly 1.5 million students completed the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, so to be among the top 50,000 students is an incredible achievement – adding he knows everyone at Howell High School, and Howell Public Schools is very proud of Mia for this remarkable achievement.

After graduation, Vlies hopes to study international relations at the University of Michigan. She would also like to study abroad.