Aaron Knauer and Megan Obley, seniors at Eden Christian Academy, have been named finalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program.

They are two of approximately 15,000 finalists in the nation, and were selected from 1.5 million students in 22,000 high schools who entered the contest by taking the 2010 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, review of their academic transcript and activities.

They are competing for 8,300 National Merit scholarships worth more than $34 million.

The program began in 1955 with the goal of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Eden Christian Academy serves more than 600 students in grades preschool through 12 at three campuses in the North Hills area—Wexford, Mount Nebo and Berkeley Hills.