Hillsborough County Students Earn 200 Prestigious Cambridge Learner Awards Across 19 High Schools

Hillsborough County Public Schools

March 5, 2026

​Debra Bellanti​

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tampa, Fl. (March 5, 2026) –International has released the recipients of its 2025 Cambridge Learner Awards, and Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) is proud to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of its students. Across 19 Hillsborough County high schools, students earned a total of 200 Cambridge Learner Awards, reflecting the strength of the district’s accelerated academic programs and the dedication of its students, teachers, and school leaders.

The Cambridge Learner Awards are an international recognition of exceptional performance on Cambridge International (AICE) assessments. Students from Hillsborough County were recognized across several prestigious award categories, including:

  • Top in Country / Top in USA — Awarded to learners achieving the highest standard mark nationally in a subject

  • Cambridge Scholar Awards — Honoring students who earned three or more qualifying grades, with distinctions of Scholar, Scholar with Merit, and Scholar with Distinction based on performance levels

Collectively, Hillsborough County Public Schools earned:

  • 154 Cambridge Scholar Awards

  • 41 Scholar with Merit Awards

  • 4 Scholar with Distinction Awards

  • 1 Top in USA Award, earned by a student from Chamberlain High School in Cambridge International AS Level Thinking Skills

“These awards highlight the extraordinary commitment of our students and educators to academic excellence,” said Superintendent Van Ayres. “We are incredibly proud of the hard work and determination demonstrated across our Cambridge programs.”

The following Hillsborough County high schools received Cambridge Learner Awards:

  • Sumner High School — 40 recipients

    (2 Distinction, 9 Merit, 29 Scholar)

  • Leto High School — 35 recipients

    (1 Distinction, 6 Merit, 28 Scholar)

  • Wharton High School — 35 recipients

    (7 Merit, 28 Scholar)

  • Strawberry Crest High School — 19 recipients

    (5 Merit, 14 Scholar)

  • Riverview High School — 12 recipients

    (2 Merit, 10 Scholar)

  • Newsome High School — 9 recipients

    (2 Merit, 7 Scholar)

  • Bloomingdale High School — 7 recipients

    (1 Merit, 6 Scholar)

  • Robinson High School — 7 recipients

    (1 Distinction, 6 Scholar)

  • Chamberlain High School — 5 recipients

    (1 Merit, 3 Scholar, ★ 1 Top in USA Award)

  • Freedom High School — 5 recipients

    (2 Merit, 3 Scholar)

  • Steinbrenner High School — 5 recipients

    (1 Merit, 4 Scholar)

  • Plant City High School — 5 recipients

    (5 Scholar)

  • Brandon High School — 4 recipients

    (2 Merit, 2 Scholar)

  • Middleton High School — 4 recipients

    (1 Merit, 3 Scholar)

  • Blake High School — 3 recipients

    (1 Merit, 2 Scholar)

  • Lennard High School — 2 recipients

    (2 Scholar)

  • Armwood High School — 1 recipient

    (1 Scholar)

  • Sickles High School — 1 recipient

    (1 Scholar)

  • Jefferson High School — 1 recipient

    (1 Merit)

Hillsborough County Public Schools congratulates all Cambridge Learner Award recipients, along with the teachers, school leaders, and families who supported their success. These achievements underscore the district’s commitment to rigorous academics and global readiness for students.

To learn more about Cambridge AICE and other accelerated programs visit hillsboroughschools.org.