Two Wantagh High School seniors, Liam Fields and Ethan Chen, have been recognized as finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program, a distinction awarded to some of the nation’s highest-achieving students.
The prestigious program identifies students based on their performance on the PSAT taken during their junior year and awards scholarships to those who demonstrate exceptional academic ability, leadership and potential for success in college.
Nationally, roughly 15,000 students are named finalists each year. Each scholar receives $2,500, which can be used to offset college expenses, and these students may be eligible for other corporate-sponsored or college-sponsored monetary awards. Many universities offer substantial award packages to National Merit finalists.
For Fields, the news marked the culmination of a process he had been anticipating, while Chen had been working toward the honor and said the moment was especially meaningful.
“I was pretty glad that I made it to finalist,” Chen said. “The National Merit Scholarship has been my goal since junior year, so I’m glad I made it through the final stage.”
“My mother’s a reading teacher, and my father’s an engineer,” he said. “Together, they really pushed me to start learning at an early age and ignited my love of learning about everything.”
Chen cited his mother as a motivating influence. “She’s always pushed me to do my best so I can build a good future,” he said.
Outside the classroom, both students are deeply involved in extracurricular activities. Fields is an Eagle Scout with the Wantagh-based Troop 656, serves as head of construction for the school’s stage crew and is a captain of the varsity academic team.
“A lot of my extracurriculars mesh well with my academics,” he said. “For instance, I can apply what I learn from the academic team to other school activities.”
Chen, Wantagh’s Class of 2026 salutatorian, balances a busy schedule that includes cross-country and winter and spring track, and leadership roles in the animal rights and recycling clubs, all while working as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens.
“I just find ways to make time for things,” he said. “If I come home late, I’ll stay up a little later to get my work done for the next day.”
Looking ahead, both students are exploring future career paths. Fields is considering engineering and possibly pre-law. “I’m still deciding,” he said. “If I go to law school, I’ll figure out what type of law I want to do.”
Chen plans to study biomedical engineering on a pre-med track.
School leaders praised the students for both their achievements and character. “They’re extremely humble,” Paul Guzzone, Wantagh High School’s principal, said. “They accomplish a lot but don’t go out of their way to highlight it. They set a strong example and make an impact both inside and outside the classroom.”
As graduation approaches, Fields and Chen said they are focusing on what comes next while appreciating the experiences that brought them to this point.
