Posted by Tanya Arja or Jennifer Holton on 6/7/2023 2:30:00 PM
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tanya Arja or Jennifer Holton
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Office of Communications
813-272-4060
Tampa, Fl. (June 7, 2023) –The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced over 3,000 winners of the National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities, 61 of which attend Hillsborough County Public Schools. Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from the Finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship program who plan to attend their institution.
This year, 153 higher education institutions are underwriting Merit Scholarship awards through the National Merit Scholarship Program. Sponsor colleges and universities include 81 private and 72 public institutions located in 42 states and the District of Columbia. These awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.
The most recent National Merit Scholars were selected by a committee based on their academic records, PSAT scores, essays, and potential for success in college. Nine students attend Strawberry Crest High School, eight attend Middleton High School, seven attend Robinson High School, and six attend Plant High School and King High School.
Student scholarship winners also attend Steinbrenner, Newsome, Blake, Durant, Freedom, Gaither, Bloomingdale, Lennard, Sumner, Sickles, Alonso, and Hillsborough high schools.
“The number of Hillsborough County Public Schools students who received National Merit Scholarships this year exceeds three times the number of graduates last year,” said Superintendent Addison Davis. “These 61 students achieved their scholarship wins out of thousands of entrants from across the country. Our entire Hillsborough County Schools community applauds your efforts as you begin this new journey.”
The National Merit Scholars include:
Jasmine A. Cheong, Lennard High School: University of Central Florida
Britney M. Wagner, Lennard High School: University of Tulsa
Katherine G. Blessing, Middleton High School: University of Florida
Kinsley G. Trlak, Durant High School: University of South Florida
Eileen J. Jelsovsky, Durant High School: University of South Florida
Avaneesh S. Venkatesh, Strawberry Crest High School: University of Florida
Sophia N. Florea, Newsome High School: University of Florida
Tanushree R. Hadavale, Newsome High School: University of Florida
Dana G. John, Strawberry Crest High School: University of Florida
Chloe E. Jones, Strawberry Crest High School: University of South Florida
Sebastian Nathanson, Newsome High School: University of Florida
John P. O'Toole, Newsome High School: University of Central Florida
Vasanth R. Srinivasan, Newsome High School: University of Central Florida
Pranav Tammineedi, Middleton High School: University of South Florida
Louis F. Li, Steinbrenner High School: University of Florida
Andrew J. Maroun, Steinbrenner High School: University of South Florida
Lily A. Taylor, Hillsborough High School: University of Florida
Kaitlyn H. Tran, Hillsborough High School: University of Florida
Leina E. Owens, Blake High School: University of Florida
Jessica E. Afiat, Freedom High School: University of Florida
Saeed U. Ansari, Middleton High School: University of Florida
Grace S. Barrett, Robinson High School: University of Florida
Presley R. Berman, Robinson High School: University of Florida
Oliver Stacey Cheese, Middleton High School: Florida State University
Adam Yifeng Cheng, King High School: University of Florida
Lane G. Chin, Hillsborough High School: University of Florida
Taban C. Chin, Hillsborough High School: University of Florida
Lucca Benettie de Castro, Sickles High School: University of Florida
Scout F. DeMinico, Plant High School: University of Florida
Leyna T. Doan, Robinson High School: University of Florida
Arshan M. Falasiri, Plant High School: University of Florida
Jacob W. Han, Robinson High School: University of Georgia
Ananya C. Harshe, King High School: University of Florida
Kevin J. Huang, Plant High School: University of Miami
Andrew W. Jenkins, Alonso High School: University of Alabama
Kevin Jin, King High School: University of Florida
Prabhath Kolli, Strawberry Crest High School: University of Florida
Pranav V. Kulkarni, Middleton High School: University of Florida
Yining Liu, Hillsborough High School: University of Florida
Leo N. Meng, Strawberry Crest High School: University of Florida
Vivian A. Mesa, Robinson High School: University of Florida
Natalie L. Meyer, Plant High School: University of Florida
Yun Joo M. Noh, Hillsborough High School: University of Florida
Benjamin D. Norbom, Plant High School: University of Florida
Clara M. Oh, King High School, University of Florida
Ishan K. Patel, Middleton High School: University of South Florida
Luis M. Perez, King High School, University of Florida
Praveen H. Prabaharan, Robinson High School, University of Florida
Britney S. Pun, Freedom High School University of Florida
Suraj Raghunathan, Middleton High School: University of Florida
Amulya Ravipati, Strawberry Crest High School: University of Florida
Isabella M. Rodrigues, Robinson High School: University of Florida
Karthik Sara, Middleton High School: University of South Florida
Olivia West, Gaither High School: University of Florida
Hannah K. Woodside, Plant High School: University of Florida
Mahika Balaraju, Strawberry Crest High School: University of Florida
Isabella A. Larson, Bloomingdale, High School: University of Florida
Shalini Nandam, Strawberry Crest High School: University of Florida
Rahil D. Zaveri, Strawberry Crest High School: University of Florida
Megha Manoj, King High School: University of Florida
Ethan J. Varn, Sumner High School: University of South Florida