National Merit Finalists

Scholarship. Dedication. Commitment. Those are just three of the words that could be used to describe Nathan Beatty, Keenan Norton, and Max Vendely. These Fenwick High School seniors are three of the approximately 15,000 high school seniors in the country who were named National Merit Finalists in February 2022.

Although this honor is based on how well Nathan, Keenan, and Max performed on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) that they took their sophomore year in high school – scoring in the top 1% – it is indicative of their character and their commitment to their education and their future success. They all agreed that their experience at Fenwick has helped prepare them for the future.

“I feel that Bishop Fenwick has prepared me for the future by giving me opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom to grow as a student and as a person,” said Nathan.

Keenan agreed, saying, “What I like about the atmosphere here at Fenwick is that the community is welcoming, and we are given plenty of opportunities to challenge ourselves in and outside of the classroom. I feel like I am being sent out into the world with skills that I will carry with me into college and a professional career.”

All three students have taken advantage of the many opportunities offered by Fenwick and have been extremely involved at Fenwick. They are all scholar-athletes: Nathan has played baseball and basketball all four years at Fenwick, and Keenan and Max have played soccer all four years, with Keenan serving as captain senior year. Keenan and Max have also participated in track and field. But their involvement extends beyond the field and the court. They are members of National Honor Society and Keenan is also a member of Spanish National Honor Society. Nathan has also served as a student ambassador. Max has also participated in esports and ski club while at Fenwick and, in his spare time, is a Boy Scout.

These young role models have shared words of wisdom to the younger Falcons at Fenwick. They all agreed that it was important to work hard in high school to help prepare for their future, but that students should also enjoy the experience. “Don't forget to enjoy your time at Fenwick; it goes by very fast,” said Nathan.

Keenan echoed Nathan’s statement, saying “The best advice I could give to younger students is to push yourself to bring out the absolute best version of yourself that you can and cherish the moments while they last.”

“My advice to younger students is to try your best not to get too stressed out. In the end, a number does not define you and a late paper or two won't be the end of the world. You will get a lot more out of high school if you relax a little and focus on the journey rather than the destination,” advised Max.

As they prepare to leave Fenwick and embark on the next step in their journey, the boys recalled some of their favorite memories at Fenwick. Nathan always enjoyed cheering on his classmates with his friends in the student sections for different sporting events. Keenan’s favorite Fenwick memory was also centered around his family, watching his younger brother score his first high school goal for the JV soccer team. Max had difficulty narrowing down his favorite memory, but settled on his Kairos retreat, which “was cool.”

It’s obvious that the future is bright for these young men. Nathan plans on majoring in finance, Keenan plans to study mechanical engineering, and Max plans to study computer science.

In closing, Max said, “I think Fenwick has prepared me for success by helping me to grow as an individual. My high school years have challenged my views and beliefs, which has forced me to think critically about the way I understand myself and the world. I've changed a lot during my time at Fenwick which I believe will be extremely influential on my success in the future.”

Nathan, Keenan, and Max are indeed aiming high and reaching for the heights!