Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
Together from the beginning, two Prattville High School seniors, who are best friends, and were in the same kindergarten class, Kate Bibb and Saylor Boles have been named semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.
National Merit Scholars represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, approximately 15,000 students across the country, that produced exceptional SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) testing scores.
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth $26,000,000 that both Bibb and Boles will be in the running for.
To be considered for the National Merit Scholarship, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of competition. About 95% of the semifinalists are expected to obtain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship.
Bibb is a member of the PHS tennis team and has been playing since the 8th grade. She is also a member of the robotics team in 2021-2022, a peer helper and the current president of the National Honor Society at PHS and is in Youth Leadership Autauga County.
Bibb was also a competitor in the 2025 Distinguished Young Women of Autauga County program and was one of the Scholarship award winners, is also a National Rural and Small Town Scholar and a Co-Director of the Search Retreat Team for the last years.
Boles has been a member of the Prattville High School Student Government Association for the entirety of her high school career and started getting involved in SGA in elementary school. Boles is also a member of the national honor society, the beta club, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a former member of the Lady Lions cross country and soccer teams.
This past summer, Boles participated in the Street Reach Mission trip and helped with the Heritage Baptist Vacation Bible School. She is a member of the First United Methodist Church of Prattville, the Genesis Singers and is an accomplished artist winning numerous awards to her name for her work.
Both sets of parents stated they are unbelievably proud and that they both work extremely hard to reach their goals. Prattville High School Principal Dr. Daniel Farris stated that both young women are the perfect examples of a model student and that he is grateful and proud to have them be a lion.
The duo both stated that they love science, learning and going to school. Their dedication and studious nature will carry on after high school, where Bibb plans to attend University of Alabama and major in Urban Planning and Environmental Science.
Boles stated that she will either attend Auburn University or the University of Alabama to study Biology, with the ultimate goal of attending the University of Alabama Medical School to become a plastic surgeon.
