19 SUSD Seniors Named Semifinalists in 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Sept. 10, 2026) – Nineteen outstanding seniors from the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) have been named Semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit® Scholarship Program, placing them among the nation’s highest-achieving high school students.

The prestigious recognition, announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®), recognizes academically talented students who have demonstrated exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

More than 1.2 million juniors from approximately 20,000 high schools entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®). The nationwide pool of more than 16,000 Semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest-scoring students in each state.

The SUSD Semifinalists represent four district high schools:

• Arcadia High School: Zoe C. McClure
• Chaparral High School: Kailyn R. Bednarik, William I. Parsons, Aaryan Shankar, Chase T. Swenson
• Desert Mountain High School: Vithesh Aavula, Joseph E. Anderson, Ella R. Day, Siddhanth V. Gupta, Siddharth R. Hamsanipally, Arnav G. Hingorani, Arhanth Kurli, Sophia C. Martone-Zoll, Atul S. Nair, Gianna R. Pannozzo, Anoushka A. Raghavan,  Eric M. Wang
• Saguaro High School: Shashank R. Krishnan, Aashni Sahai

“Being named a National Merit Semifinalist is an extraordinary accomplishment and a reflection of the dedication, curiosity and academic excellence these students demonstrate every day,” said SUSD Superintendent Dr. Scott Menzel. “We are incredibly proud of these 19 students and excited to celebrate this well-deserved recognition with their families, teachers and school communities. Their accomplishments represent the very best of what is possible when students are challenged, supported and encouraged to pursue excellence.”

The Road to Becoming a National Merit Scholar

The 19 SUSD Semifinalists will now continue in the competition for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth about $24 million, which will be awarded in 2027.

To advance to Finalist standing, Semifinalists must complete a detailed scholarship application with their high school, maintain an outstanding academic record, receive a recommendation from a school official, write an essay and submit SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm their earlier performance on the qualifying test.

More than 15,000 Semifinalists are expected to advance to the Finalist level, with Finalists notified in February 2027. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from the Finalist group.

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in 2027, including 2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships, corporate-sponsored scholarships and college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards.

National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July 2027.

The National Merit Scholarship Program was established in 1955 by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing and honoring the nation's academically talented students and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit nationalmerit.org.

Media Contacts: 

• Kristine Harrington, (480) 404-2417, kristineharrington@susd.org;  
• Cymphanie Sherman, 602-615-7325, csherman@susd.org

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#ChooseSUSD
With nearly 20,000 students in all schools, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has been a premier choice for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public education for 130 years. Located northeast of metropolitan Phoenix, the District serves the educational needs of students and families in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Tempe, and Scottsdale. A highly experienced, professionally certified teaching staff fosters a diverse and rigorous educational environment that engages all students in world-class, future-focused learning. Offering gifted learning, special education, career and technical education, and a variety of athletics, arts and enrichment programs and clubs, SUSD provides the rich environment today’s students need to explore their interests, develop important social skills, and grow into tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, visit www.susd.org and follow along on social media: Facebook: @ScottsdaleUSD, Instagram: @ScottsdaleUnifiedSD, LinkedIn and YouTube.