Wednesday, Sep 10, 2025
Florida Atlantic University High School is thrilled to congratulate 23 students who have been named Semifinalists and 43 students who have been recognized as Commended Students in the prestigious 2026 National Merit Scholarship Competition. Together, these 66 students represent an extraordinary 38% of FAU High School’s graduating Class of 2026.
These distinctions celebrate the hard work and academic excellence of our students, underscoring FAU High School’s commitment to fostering an environment of rigor and success.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is one of the most prestigious academic competitions in the country. Each year, approximately 1.5 million high school juniors take the PSAT/NMSQT, with only 16,000—representing the top 1%—earning the distinction of being named Semifinalists. FAU High School is proud to announce that 23 of its students have achieved this remarkable honor.
“We are incredibly proud of our students for achieving such extraordinary recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Competition,” said Lauren Robinson, Principal of A.D. Henderson & FAU High School. “These results reflect not only their talent and dedication but also the strength of the innovative learning environment we’ve built at Florida Atlantic University High School. Our students continually rise to the challenge, balancing rigorous academics, research, and early college experiences while demonstrating what’s possible when curiosity meets opportunity.”
These Semifinalists will now move forward in the competition, where they will undergo a rigorous application process. We are confident that their dedication and commitment will continue to shine as they progress towards Finalist and, ultimately, National Merit Scholar status.
Serena Amro Gazze
Danylo Fedkiv
Zarah Naveed
Laura Arbelaez Correa
Gabriel Goldenberg
Kaylie Niejadlik
Danilo Carmona
Shyla Grant
Ekansh Puri
Rishi Chhibber
Danila Gurin
Baron Schaeffer
Lucas Deese
Youssef Hanafi
Dataar Sibia
Nicole Demaras
Sydney Kessler
Matthew Sirkin
Emily Diaz-Silva
Joshua Lerner
Alexander Zentefis
Ella Edelstein
Frederick Lourenso
In addition to the Semifinalists, FAU High School is also proud to recognize 43 seniors who have been named Commended Students. These students represent the top 50,000 scorers nationwide out of the 1.5 million participants in the 2026 competition. While Commended Students do not continue in the National Merit Scholarship competition, their academic performance is exceptional and worthy of recognition.
Jenna Abraham
Tanvi Desai
Vibol Ly
Gabriela Quintero
Merin Ajith
Jacobo Fabregas Navas
Jacob Malayil
Charles Russo
Donata Amineva
Daniella Fermin
Stefan Manevski
Fernanda Salomao Del Bianco
Nakul Balaji
Neta Froimovich
Bernardo Marianelli
Felipe Salvador
Abhay Balan
Ariel Gil
Cleo Miyake
Kyara Santome
Gabriella Boehm
Alice Gnesin
Kirthana Mutukuru
Eyan Starkman
Samkit Bothra
Christina Gumbinger
Camila Oliver Sampaio
Laura Stawikowska
Anaya Bruno
Connor Harrington
Emily Ortiz
Nathan Trinh
Alexander Castronovo
Tanisha Jijo
Adrian Pawlowski
Ivan Wu
Madeline Cruz
Rivkah Kahn
Jason Pindell
Amy Yap
Jake Dalessio
Harper Lamb
Benjamin Purvis
FAU High School extends its heartfelt congratulations to these remarkable students. Their hard work, dedication, and perseverance have earned them a place among the nation’s most accomplished scholars. We look forward to celebrating their continued success throughout the year.