Justin Phillips is already a Class 5A state champion in Academic UIL. Now the Nacogdoches High School senior is a 2025 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist, placing him among the top students in the country.
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. recognizes students like Justin who demonstrate outstanding dedication to their studies and extracurricular achievements. The 16,000 semifinalists nationwide come from roughly 1.3 million U.S. high school students who took the Preliminary SAT and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in 2023 and met other program participation requirements.
“Justin is a phenomenal student who continues to impress and represent the best of Nacogdoches ISD,” said NHS Principal Kevin Croft. “He’s an exceptionally talented young person with the world in front of him, and is one of those students who you can’t wait to see what happens next.”
National Merit Scholar finalists will be announced next spring. Nacogdoches High School had back-to-back National Merit winners in 2022 and 2023.
Over the course of his high school career, Justin has earned numerous accolades, including the distinction of AP Scholar, Rural and Small Town Scholar and First Generation Scholar.
Outside the classroom, Justin serves as Team Leader for the Social Studies and Current Events teams. Last spring, he claimed the 2024 Class 5A State Championship in Current Issues and Events. He is also a contributor to the Dragon Echo newspaper at NHS, where he writes about political affairs, and actively competes in UIL Debate.
In his spare time, Justin pursues his interest in history by transcribing historical documents for institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and Library of Congress. In the community, he serves as a poll worker and interns with the Nacogdoches County Democratic Party, where he is helping organize a voter registration drive for high school students.