BATON ROUGE — Baton Rouge Magnet High School leads Louisiana with 29 National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists, the East Baton Rouge Parish Public School System announced on Wednesday.  

More than 16,000 semifinalists across the country are competing for 6,700 scholarships worth about $24 million, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Louisiana is home to 229 of those students. New Orleans high schools Benjamin Franklin and Jesuit follow Baton Rouge Magnet with 19 semifinalists each. 

"We are extraordinarily proud to announce that 29 of our outstanding Baton Rouge Magnet High School students have been named National Merit Semifinalists this year,” Baton Rouge Magnet Principal Nanette McCann said in a prepared statement. “This prestigious honor places them among the top high school seniors nationwide, reflecting not only their exceptional academic talent and dedication but also the steadfast support of our educators, families and school community."

Winners will be announced beginning in April and concluding in July.