Brennan Grimes, daughter of Darryl and Melissa Grimes of Wayland, has been named as a semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship program. She is one of only two semi-finalists in Allegan County.

Her activities include Allegan Pro Youth Team, West MI Outlaws Softball and Focus on Ferals Cat Shelter.  She is also a member of the National Honor Society, Wayland PRIDE Tutoring, and is a member of the WUHS Marching Band. She has plans to attend Michigan State University to study molecular genetics.

The National Merit® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.6 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.

In early September, about 16,000 students, or approximately one-third of the 50,000 high scorers, are notified that they have qualified as semifinalists. To ensure that academically talented young people from all parts of the United States are included in this talent pool, Semifinalists are designated on a state-representational basis.