IBERIA PARISH — New Iberia Senior High senior Patra Liamkeo has been named a semifinalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program for her outstanding performance on the PSAT.
“It’s my last year at New Iberia Senior High, and I’m pretty involved in a lot of extracurricular activities,” Liamkeo said. "I’m in band, National Honor Society, Beta.”
In addition to those activities, she is part of the Gifted and Talented program for art, music, theater and academics. With her involvement, grades and test scores, Liamkeo advanced to the next round of the competition, giving her the opportunity to compete for nearly $26 million in scholarships that will be awarded this spring.
Liamkeo credited one teacher in particular—Mrs. Gauthreaux—for helping her reach this stage. Unlike most students, who typically take the PSAT in their junior year, Gauthreaux encourages her students to start preparing as sophomores and take the test early.
“I’m extremely thankful to my teacher for doing all of that because she knows what’s best for us in our future, and she really wants us to get there,” Liamkeo said. “I admire that she drives us to do better. She motivates us to go forward and to achieve our goals.”
When asked about her favorite part of high school, Liamkeo pointed to the people she’s surrounded by every day.
“My favorite part about going to school at NISH is seeing my friends every day,” she said. “I know that’s a common answer, but they keep me going when the homework gets tough.”
Winners of the National Merit Scholarships will be announced beginning in April 2026.
