2 Byram Hills Seniors Win National Merit Scholarship

ARMONK, NY — This year, two Byram Hills High School seniors have secured their places among the best of the best.

From the Byram Hills Central School District.

Two academically talented Byram Hills High School seniors, Claire Mauney and Angelina Nie, have each won a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship.

They are among the nearly 7,000 students who will win scholarships this year from the group of 15,000 National Merit finalists. The scholarship winners are chosen for their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Angelina plans to attend The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Honors Carolina) and study biology.

“I’m honored to be recognized as a National Merit Scholar,” she said. “This achievement recognizes not only my effort and dedication in my studies, but also the support and encouragement of my teachers, mentors, friends and family. I am deeply grateful for their guidance and encouragement throughout this journey.”

Gary McCarthy, her school counselor, noted that Angelina is an award-winning art and science research student.

“Equally brilliant and curious, Angelina brings the same passion and originality to the science lab and the art studio, where her work and love of discovery reflect a mind always seeking to understand the world in new and meaningful ways,” he said. “We are so proud of Angelina and thrilled to see her recognized as a National Merit Scholarship winner."

Claire will attend Duke University and intends to double major in economics and statistical science. “I’m honored to receive this scholarship, which reflects years of hard work and perseverance, and I’m excited to continue pushing myself academically in the years ahead,” she said.

Her counselor, Gary McCarthy, said Claire is driven by deep intellectual curiosity. Through her independent study of Advanced Placement Macroeconomics and Microeconomics and her award-winning science research study on social-emotional learning in multilingual classrooms, Claire has demonstrated great initiative and a genuine desire to improve the world, he said.

“Claire brings a quiet determination to everything she does, consistently challenging herself to understand ideas in their fullest form,” he said. “What stands out even more is the way she supports those around her, lifting her peers with generosity and humility, often without seeking recognition. I could not be more proud to see her receive this well-deserved honor.”

More than 1.3 million students entered the scholarship competition as juniors by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

This release was produced by the Byram Hills Central School District. The views expressed here are the author's own.