CENTERVILLE — The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recently announced the winners of its corporate-sponsored scholarships, Derek A. Montgomery from Viewmont High School is among them.

Montgomery, who hopes to go into medicine, won the National Merit James E. Casey Scholarship. The award was originally created for children of United Parcel Service employees to honor those in that field.

Most rewards from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study. They also provide stipends from $500 to $10,000 a year. Recipients are allowed to use the Scholarship at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

More than 1.5 million juniors entered this year’s contest, and 16,000 semifinalists were designated at the state level. Those semifinalists were narrowed to finalists, then narrowed further. The corporate-sponsored recipients are among the first of 8,400 students to be awarded. Further announcements will be made.

Students also had to have an outstanding academic record, endorsed and recommended by a school official. Approximately 15,000 students met those final requirements. Montgomery is a Centerville resident.