A total of 24 students from the U.S., China, Mexico, The Netherlands, and Vietnam have earned 2017 merit scholarships awarded by A. O. Smith Corp.

The recipients, sons or daughters of A. O. Smith Corporation employees, were selected based on their academic record, participation in school and community activities, work experience, and honors:

From Ashland City, Tennessee

Wyatt Blessing, son of Randy and Kim Blessing. Blessing will be a first year student at Cumberland University.

Alexia Haynes, daughter of Misty Haynes and Sam Jones. Haynes will be a first year student at Belmont University.

Bailey Millett, daughter of David and Suzanne Millett. Millett will be a first year student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Tiffany Smith, daughter of Scarlett and Raymond Smith. Smith will be a first year student at Cumberland University.

Xiaodi Whitfield, daughter of John and Laura Whitfield. Whitfield will be a third year student at the University of Tennessee.

From Ciudad Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico

Misael Chavez Gonzalez, son of José Antonio Chavez Varela and Irma Gonzalez Galvan. Chavez will be a third year student at the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez.

Braulio Figueroa, son of Braulio Figueroa and Patricia Juarez. Figueroa will be a second year student at the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez.

Felipe de Jesus Reyes Reynoso, son of Felipe Reyes Leon and Rosalia Reynoso Oregon. Reyes will be a second year student at the Instituto Tecnologico de Ciudad Juarez.

Edith Valero Portillo of Ciudad Juarez Chihuahua, daughter of Silvina Portillo Jasso. Portillo will be a second year student at the Instituto Tecnologico de Ciudad Juarez.

From El Paso, Texas

Fabian Rosas of El Paso, Texas, son of Ignacio Rosas and Eva Cruz. Rosas will be a third year student at the University of Texas.

From Florence, Kentucky

Adrianna Waters, daughter of James and Doris Waters. Waters will be a first year student at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., in the fall of 2017.

From Johnson City, Tennessee

Haley McBrayer, daughter of Steve and Dara McBrayer. McBrayer will be a first year student at the East Tennessee State University.

Amy Shumaker, daughter of Andy and Pennie Shumaker. Shumaker will be a second year student at Milligan College.

Robert Yeatts, son of Dan and Rebecca Snyder. Yeatts will be a first year student at the East Tennessee State University.

From Lebanon, Tennessee

Abigail Leanhart, daughter of Scott and Jenny Leanhart. Leanhart will be a third year student at Brescia University.

McKenzie Wallmark, daughter of Rick and Sandra Wallmark. Wallmark will be a third year student at Austin Peay State University.

From Nanjing, China

Zhe Chen, daughter of Yongfen Bu and He Liang Chen. Zhe Chen is entering her fourth year at the Changchun Finance and Economic University.

Ying He, daughter of Cheng He and Mei Li Dong. Ying He is entering her third year at the Nanjing Normal University.

Zihan Lu, son of Feng and Zhengyuan Lu. Zihan Lu is entering his first year at Indiana University.

Rong Yang, daughter of Hong yun Liu and He Yang Shou. Rong Yang is entering her second year at the Yan’an University in Yan’an.

Wei Zhang, daughter of Zehua and Qianyun Zhang. Wei Zhang is entering her second year at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Yue Zhou, daughter of Chunfang Yue and Zhou Jining. Yue Zhou is entering her third year at the Nanjing University.

From Veldhoven, The Netherlands

Kevin van der Donk, son of Michael and Petra van der Donk. van der Donk will be a first year student at the Avans Hogeschool.

From Hanoi, Vietnam

Le Minh, son of Le Quoc Vinh and Do Thanh Huang. Minh will be a second year student at the University of Washington.

The A. O. Smith Merit Scholarship program is open to the children of employees in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and India. To be considered, the student must be a graduating high school senior or currently enrolled in an undergraduate college or vocational school degree program. Scholarships help cover a portion of the tuition costs at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational technical school of the student's choice.

The company awards scholarships annually, which may be renewed for up to three additional years or until the recipient earns a bachelor's degree. The A. O. Smith Scholarship program is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a program of ScholarshipAmerica of St. Peter, Minn.