--- title: Five Students Advance to become 2021 National Merit Scholar Finalists description: "Tampa Prep announces 5 National Merit Scholar FINALISTS from its Class of 2021: Timothy Calco, Grace Harris, Andrew Kim, Ava Vellines and Connor White." image: https://blog.tampaprep.org/hubfs/Natnl%20Merit%20Schol%20group%202021%20copy.jpg --- [![Tampa Preparatory School](https://tampaprep.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/TampaLogo.png)](https://tampaprep.org) - [About](https://tampaprep.org/about) - [About](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/) - [Alumni](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/alumni/) - [Alumni Events](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/alumni/alumni-events/) - [Alumni Resources](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/alumni/alumni-resources/) - [Career Opportunities](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/career-opportunities/) - [Contact Us](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/contact-us/) - 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All Finalists will be considered for National Merit Scholarship Awards to be offered in 2021. **Tampa Prep is very pleased to announce that all five of our National Merit Scholar Semifinalists from the Class of 2021 have advanced to become Finalists:  Timothy Calco, Grace Harris, Andrew Kim, Ava Vellines and Connor White.** The selection of some 7,500 Merit Scholarship winners from the group of more than 15,000 Finalists is now in progress.  **Tampa Prep is very pleased to announce five National Merit Scholar Semifinalists from its Class of 2021: Timothy Calco, Grace Harris, Andrew Kim, Ava Vellines and Connor White. We are immensely proud of these students!** | ![Tim Calco](https://blog.tampaprep.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Tim%20Calco.jpg?width=150&name=Tim%20Calco.jpg) Tim Calco | ![11 - Harris_Grace-1](https://blog.tampaprep.org/hs-fs/hubfs/11%20-%20Harris_Grace-1.jpg?width=150&name=11%20-%20Harris_Grace-1.jpg) Grace Harris | ![11 - Kim_Andrew-1](https://blog.tampaprep.org/hs-fs/hubfs/11%20-%20Kim_Andrew-1.jpg?width=150&name=11%20-%20Kim_Andrew-1.jpg) Andrew Kim | ![11 - Vellines_Ava-1](https://blog.tampaprep.org/hs-fs/hubfs/11%20-%20Vellines_Ava-1.jpg?width=150&name=11%20-%20Vellines_Ava-1.jpg) Ava Vellines | ![11 - White_Connor-1](https://blog.tampaprep.org/hs-fs/hubfs/11%20-%20White_Connor-1.jpg?width=150&name=11%20-%20White_Connor-1.jpg) Connor White | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists had to fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955, specifically to conduct the National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 400 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC's goals of honoring the nation's scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence. 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