Five students in Butler County were among 16,000 semifinalists of the National Merit Scholarship Program.

The five are: Allison Russell and Katheryn Somerville, both of Seneca Valley High School; Daniel Sheehan of Karns City High School; Timothy McMahon of Portersville Christian School; and Olivia O'Connor of Knoch High School.

These high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 8,200 final National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $35 million, that will be offered next spring, according to a news release from the National Merit Scholarship Program.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a scholarship.

More than 1.5 million juniors entered the 2009 National Merit Program by taking the 2007 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.