EVANSTON, Ill. — The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 57th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $34 million that will be offered next spring.

For more information about the competition, visit NMSC’s website at www.nationalmerit.org.

Area students named as semifinalists are:

Auburn: Patrick A. LaChance, St. Dominic Academy

Bethel: Adam J. Mahar, Telstar Regional High School

Farmington: Gianluca Pane, Mt. Blue High School

Fryeburg: David M. Fulton, Jenny L. Jeffrey and Matthew M. Stoker, Fryeburg Academy

Lewiston: Klaas Pruiksma, Maine School of Science and Mathematics, Limestone

Monmouth: Matthew A. Bryant, Monmouth Academy

Readfield: Sarah L. Adams and Taylor J. Watson, Maranacook Community School

South Paris: David A. Nelson, Oxford Hills High School

Topsham: Morgana Warner-Evans, Mount Ararat School

Turner: Lucy M. Knowlton, Leavitt Area High School

Yarmouth: Mateusz Tasarz and Brian N. Trelegan, North Yarmouth Academy; Susannah K.Daggett, Amelia M. Gallay and Dinah F. King, Yarmouth High School