Deering High School is proud to announce that senior Ellis C. Retzer has been named a Finalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. Ellis is one of only three students from Deering High School to achieve this distinction, representing the top 1% of high school seniors in the United States.

To earn Finalist standing, Ellis maintained an academic record of consistently very high performance throughout grades 9–12 and met rigorous requirements regarding SAT or ACT confirmation scores. He will now move forward to compete for one of approximately 6,870 National Merit Scholarships, with winners to be announced beginning in March 2026.

A Career of Academic Excellence & Leadership

Beyond his National Merit recognition, Ellis has established himself as a versatile leader and scholar at Deering High School:

Science Olympiad Leadership: Ellis serves as an Officer for the Deering Science Olympiad team. His competitive success includes a 5th-place medal in Remote Sensing at the 2026 Harvard University Invitational and a top-five finish at the MIT Invitational. At the state level, he is a gold medalist in Geologic Mapping and a silver medalist in Optics.

Speech and Debate: A standout member of the "Ram Debaters," Ellis secured 1st Place in Varsity Public Forum at the 2025 Nutcracker Holiday Debate Tournament and went undefeated at the Nutcracker Sweeps tournament.

National Honor Society: In April 2025, Ellis was inducted into the William E. Wing Chapter of the NHS, a recognition of his scholarship, leadership, character, and service.

The Arts and Athletics: Ellis is a member of the Deering Players drama department, contributing to productions such as Elephant’s Graveyard and their recent success at the MPA Drama Festival. He is also a multi-sport athlete, competing for Deering in Cross Country and Tennis.

Civic Engagement: He is an active participant in Model UN, Key Club, and the school’s STEM initiatives.

The Deering community congratulates Ellis on this prestigious honor and wishes him the best of luck in the final round of the scholarship competition!