Meet the National Merit Semifinalist from Veritas Prep

McKenzie Perrault, a senior at Veritas Prep, has qualified as a National Merit Semifinalist. She has been recognized as one of the highest scoring entrants of the PSAT, qualifying her for recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program as a semifinalist of over 1.5 million entrants. She will be continuing on in the National Merit Scholarship competition with the chance to become a National Merit Finalist.

According to Sarah Marbach, a college counselor at Veritas Prep, Perrault is an unstoppable force. “She is one of those students who makes everything look easy, but once you get to know her, it is evident that she works hard for her successes. She is at the top of her class academically, probably the best female athlete at Veritas Prep, and an amazing leader and role model for younger students.”

“McKenzie has consistently demonstrated an exceptional academic aptitude throughout her time at Veritas Prep,” Marbach shared. “Her intellectual curiosity and passion for learning are evident in her thoughtful and insightful contributions to class discussions. She is a self-motivated and independent learner who consistently strives for excellence.”

Perrault is a House Consul in the Veritas Prep house system where she helps develop activities to create school spirit and inclusion within the student body. This includes planning all spirit days, academic field days, and athletic field days for middle and high school students, and host special Coffee House evenings for high school students.

“Like Dani Rojas on the show Ted Lasso, who says ‘Futbol is life!’ McKenzie feels the same about beach volleyball,” said Marbach. She came into the sport late for a player and immediately fell in love with the sport. Through constant training and true grit, Perrault has improved through the ranks as an Arizona player and is hoping to play beach volleyball in college.

Perrault spends her weekends volunteering at her church. She watches infants and young children while their parents are in services. She also sings in the youth choir. “McKenzie is an absolute joy to be around,” added Marbach. “She has a witty sense of humor, is thoughtful and considerate, and has a strong moral compass.”

Upon graduating from Veritas Prep, Perrault is hoping to major in finance or business and play sand volleyball. She is currently being recruited by several colleges.

“It is a realistic goal for many Great Hearts juniors across our 13 prep academies to score in the top 1% of test takers in the state of Arizona during the October testing window each year,” said Great Hearts Director of College Counseling, Roslyn Fletcher. “We expose our high school students to the PSAT early by administering the official PSAT to all our 10th grade students across the Great Hearts network. National Merit Finalists often qualify for merit scholarships that can cover partial tuition up to full cost of attendance at select institutions across the country.”

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