Redmond resident and home-schooled student Darion J. Sandoval is one of 1,600 black high school seniors nationwide to be named semifinalists in the 49th annual National Achievement Scholarship Program.

Sandoval now has the opportunity to continue in the competition for about 800 Achievement Scholarship awards worth more than $2.5 million that will be offered next spring.

To be considered for a National Achievement Scholarship, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program, conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, is a privately financed academic competition that operates without government assistance. It was initiated in 1964 to recognize academically promising black students throughout the nation and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of outstanding program participants. To date, more than 31,900 young  men and women have received scholarship awards worth more than $100 million.