Heights High Has 1 National Merit Commended Scholar

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Heights High School senior Ava Collyer was named a commended scholar in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program. Of that 1.5 million students who entered the National Merit competition, only 34,000 were named commended scholars.

To be named a commended scholar, students had to place among the top 50,000 scores on the PSAT test. Collyer achieved the feat.

The senior said she is interested in pursuing collegiate studies in biology because she loved her AP Biology class with teacher Nicole Zubik.

“I am especially interested in the immune system and diseases,” Collyer said. “That class introduced me to the topic and I plan to study biology in college and I’d like to do research in that area someday.”

Collyer is applying to The Ohio State University and the University of Pittsburgh.

Collyer's classmate, Rohan Bruce, was named a National Merit semifinalist and has a chance to advance to finalist status and earn scholarships to college.