Two Hays students are semifinalists in the 59th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced Wednesday TMP-Marian High School seniors Jacob Brull and Ryan Hammerschmidt are semifinalists.

Jacob is the son and Chris and Jen Brull of Plainville, who are both 1989 TMP graduates. Ryan is the son of Robert and Patricia Hammerschmidt of Hays.

The two TMP-Marian seniors, who have already tested in the top one-half of one per cent of all high school seniors, have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth about $35 million that will be offered next spring.