Baltimore County’s brightest are sailing toward bright futures, mateys. Two 2026 Baltimore County high school graduates — Leah Hoddie of the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology and Sam Wheeler of Towson High School — are among just 750 students nationwide to receive college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships.
Hoddie, who studied in Carver Center’s literary arts program and served as a student representative on the Carver Center Foundation Board, plans to pursue a career in medicine. Wheeler, who earned the Arthur C. Crommer Mathematics Award from the Towson High School Alumni Association, plans to study mathematics education.
College-sponsored National Merit Scholarships go to National Merit Finalists who plan to attend the awarding college or university, providing between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study. This year more than 6,700 students nationwide received National Merit Scholarships, collectively valued at approximately $24 million. Sources: WCBM: Two Baltimore County grads win National Merit Brandeis University Scholarships