26 Staples Seniors Named as 2017 National Merit Scholarship Commended Students

WESTPORT, CT — Twenty-six Staples High School seniors have been named as Commended Students in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program, Principal James D’Amico announced Thursday.

A certificate from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation was presented by D'Amico to the following students who represent almost every academic area of interest and involvement in student activities offered at Staples High School.

In addition to being excellent students, this group includes musicians, athletes, journalists, artists, actors, volunteers and activists. The students are:

Ananya Balaji, Simon Berger, Louis Castagnazzi, Claire Dinshaw, Casey Donahue, Kyle Ehrlich, Evan Feder, Hayley Foote, Dylan Gleicher, Zachary Kornbluth, Jacob Leaf, Molly Liebergall, Kelly Moran, Jerrett Rende, Benjamin Rosoff, Frederick Schemel, Christopher Scherban, Emily Schussheim, Elianne Shapiro, Rory Steele, Abigail Suppan, Jacquelyn Sussman, Francesca Truitt, Andrew Vester, Drew Weisberg, and Renee Weisz.

Earlier this month, another 10 Staples students were named semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Approximately 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2017 competition by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT.

"The young men and women being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success," commented an NMSC spokesperson. "These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success."

Photo: In alphabetical order, Ananya Balaji, Louis Castagnazzi, Claire Dinshaw, Casey Donahue, Kyle Ehrlich, Evan Feder, Hayley Foote, Dylan Gleicher, Zachary Kornbluth, Jacob Leaf, Molly Liebergall, Kelly Moran, Jerrett Rende, Benjamin Rosoff, Frederick Schemel, Christopher Scherban, Emily Schussheim, Elianne Shapiro, Rory Steele, Abigail Suppan, Jacquelyn Sussman, Francesca Truitt, Andrew Vester, and Renee Weisz. Not Pictured: Simon Berger and Drew Weisber. Photo credit: Westport Public Schools