Simsbury High School Students Honored for Academic Excellence

On October 18, 2018, Simsbury High School (SHS) Principal Andrew O’Brien hosted an annual breakfast reception to acknowledge the academic excellence of 16 members of the senior Class of 2019 who achieved the distinction of being a Commended Student and 7 students who achieved the honor of Semifinalist, as recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program and the National Achievement Scholarship Program. There are approximately 1.6 million students nationwide who take the qualifying PSAT test, and only the top 50,000 students are identified for recognition—16,000 Semifinalists and 34,000 Commended Students. The PSAT is also known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). It has served as the initial screen for the competition each year since 1955.

At the breakfast, as proud family members looked on, Principal O’Brien shook hands with each of the students and awarded a certificate of achievement. “You’ve really distinguished yourselves,” he said, remarking how this achievement will benefit them during the college application process.

“Take time to bask in this moment,” said O’Brien, “There are few people in your shoes right now.”

Seniors who have earned the National Merit Semifinalist designation and will continue in the 2019 National Merit competition to potentially qualify for Finalist distinction are:

Sanjeev Ashok Kumar

Ishika Choudhary

David Fu

Elias Hanna

Grace Huang

Ellen C. Meyer

Mansi Sharma

Commended students are:

Rachel Abbott

Samantha Aiyathurai

Natalie Bielat

Griffin Dorman

Kate Gundersen

Sophia Kodak

Peregrine Lennert

Elena Marchetti

Uma Mehta

Scott D. Nelson

Nicholas Pugmire

Haley Rose

Patrick Sheridan

Bronson Starsiak

Thomas Thode

Faith Ye