Two Fox Lane Seniors Named 2026 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

March update: Nora and David have now been named Finalists!

Fox Lane High School seniors Nora Dooley and David Matz have been named Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.

More than 1.3 million juniors entered by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The Semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, including the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

Nora and David have an opportunity to continue in the competition for a chance to win one of 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million. To become a Finalist, each student must submit a scholarship application, providing information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. They also need to be recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm their performance on the PSAT.

Nora and David’s school counselors had many positive things to say about them.

“Nora Dooley loves learning. She enjoys soaking up knowledge, dissecting problems and analyzing situations or quandaries,” said her school counselor, Kristin Brown. “Since elementary school, she has entered her classrooms with a smile and genuine excitement. She puts her all into everything she does and continuously works to improve in areas when she feels she falls short. No matter how small or great the task, she will stick with it until she feels it is complete. Some might say Nora is a perfectionist and there is no doubt that she quests for excellence, but to me it is her sincere passion that distinguishes her.”

Karen Deitch, who is David’s school counselor, was equally proud of and impressed by David.

“Brilliant, modest, and deeply committed to both his learning and his community, David Matz is one of the most exceptional students I have worked with in my career,” Deitch said. “David’s many accolades speak for themselves, but what makes him truly remarkable is his character, selflessness, and the way he consistently elevates those around him.”

Here’s an introduction to Fox Lane’s Semifinalists.

Nora Dooley

What do you think helped you get to this level of academic success?

I think my drive and self-motivation are two aspects that have helped me get to this level of academic success. It can be very difficult to succeed academically when you take rigorous classes and have to balance that with a bunch of extracurricular activities. My time management skills have allowed me to stay on top of my workload. The reason I am able to excel in the way I do is because I motivate myself each day to keep pushing through the hard assignments. I try to keep a positive mindset when I feel stressed or overwhelmed, which has helped me greatly in all of my academic endeavors. And, of course, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve success without the support from my teachers, family, and close friends!

Are you involved in any clubs, sports, or community groups?

I am involved in quite a few extracurricular activities. I play Varsity soccer, basketball, and track for Fox Lane. I truly love being a part of the sports communities here. Everyone is so supportive, and each athletic season has a different, but fun, atmosphere. In regards to clubs, I am president of Youth in Action Club, where we complete service-related projects to give back to the local community. One of our upcoming projects is a Powderpuff Tournament which will be held in October to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. One community group that I am incredibly proud to be a part of is the President’s Junior Leadership Council at Northern Westchester Hospital. I am an advisory board member, and we formulate projects to educate our peers on prevalent issues in our community. It has been a great experience where I’ve been able to meet students from other schools, further my interest in healthcare, and gain leadership skills.

It is still early, but do you have any hopes or plans for next year?

While it is definitely still early, I have some idea of what I will be doing next year. I’m planning on attending a four-year college—where that is, I am not quite sure, but hopefully I will know soon! I have interest in both the science and business fields, so I hope to be able to combine those two interests in my next pursuit. As of now, I plan to major in biology and minor in economics.

Do you have a favorite class and/or teacher? Why is it your favorite?

My favorite class and teacher would have to be Precalculus Honors with Mr. Kimmerle. While some students may be frightened of this class, I enjoyed it greatly. Even though at times I was confused as to what was happening, the class taught me how to embrace the unknown. I learned that it is normal to not know the answer to every question. I think because the class was so challenging, each time I got an answer right, I felt more rewarded and proud of myself. Mr. Kimmerle contributed immensely to the enjoyment of the class. He came to school every day with a huge smile on his face, even if he wasn’t having the best day himself. He truly cares about the well-being of his students and is someone you can talk to about anything. He taught us how to be proud of ourselves for all of our hard work and reminded me that I deserve to give myself a break when I’m not perfect.

Do you have any advice for other students?

My advice for students would be to not put so much pressure on yourself and try to find enjoyment in learning. I find that when I place pressure on myself to perform well, I often end up not performing as well as I intended to. I think as we get older, school starts to become more about earning the best grade and less about learning new things. I try to think back to elementary school when I was fascinated by each new topic I got to learn about. I advise all students to take the time to remember that we are given the opportunity to learn each day. If you engrain that idea into your brain, it may be easier to find enjoyment in learning and achieve all your academic goals.

David Matz

What do you think helped you get to this level of academic success?

I believe that time management is one of the most important keys to success in general. Placing less emphasis on unfulfilling activities creates so much extra time that can be used on things that matter to you, and this holds true regardless of what your priorities are. In my case, I have always genuinely enjoyed school, particularly learning about things in the domain of math and science. As such, I strive to set aside more than enough time for academics, a habit that has proved itself to be a great boon throughout my time in high school.

Are you involved in any clubs, sports, or community groups?

I have happily involved myself in a variety of clubs, often as a leader in some capacity, as an outlet for exploring my interests and doing work for the benefit of others. I have been able to explore different musical styles and give back to the music department in clubs like Jazz Band, Sinfonia, and the Tri-M Music Honor Society; I have had the opportunity to investigate and apply sciences that go beyond my classes in Engineering Club and Science Olympiad; and I have organized school events and helped peers through school government positions and tutoring. I highly recommend getting involved in clubs or other organizations to anyone who is seeking to learn more beyond what the normal school day offers and contribute to a greater community.

It is early still, but do you have any hopes or plans for next year?

I am very excited for college and all of the opportunities that accompany it! Chemistry is incredibly fascinating to me due to how fundamental it is to quite literally everything and the beauty of its workings, and I would like to apply it to solving issues in the world. As such, in college, I seek to major in chemical engineering. Additionally, I hope to study abroad at some point to broaden my cultural horizons and become a more worldly person.

Do you have a favorite class and/or teacher? Why is it your favorite?

AP Chemistry was my favorite class and changed how I saw the world with how omnipresent and applicable it is. I feel like my love for chemistry is encapsulated in this: Imagine that there is a child continually asking you "but why?" questions. If you are to indulge them, you will eventually reach chemistry from almost any starting point.

Do you have any advice for other students?

The best thing that you can do for yourself, particularly in this high school-college time frame, is to find what you are passionate about. This requires taking opportunities when they are presented. Go through life thinking about future you: "Would I regret not trying this thing that sounds interesting? Would I regret continuing to do this thing that I don't like?" Take that interesting class. Join that captivating club. Play that fun-sounding sport. Try out that neat hobby. Now is the best time to learn all these things about yourself and use them to inform what direction you should take your life in.