Twelve students from Columbus Academy were announced today as 2020 Semifinalists in the 65th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $31 million that will be offered next spring.
“These students are talented in so many different ways,” said Head of School Melissa Soderberg. “They are thinkers, leaders, risk-takers, artists, athletes, musicians, problem-solvers, innovators and friends. Our future, the world's future, is in good hands!”
Columbus Academy’s 2020 National Merit Semifinalists:
Andrew Cahall, son of Dr. Perry Cahall and Dr. Marisa Cahall of Worthington
Favorite class: Comparative Government and Politics
Interests: reading, writing and learning languages (as well as exploring new music genres, golfing and drinking tea)
Possible fields of study: classics, political science and communications
David Cooperman, son of Dr. Marc Cooperman and Janet Cooperman of Powell
Favorite class: Government
Interests: law, justice and sports
Possible fields of study: law and politics
Ezra Johnson, son of Jessica Espasandin of Gahanna and Jonathan Johnson of Lake Tapps, WA
Favorite class: Computer Science
Interests: track, swimming, soccer, co-captain of Science Olympiad, Code Club, Black Organization of Students vice president
Possible fields of study: considering a career in computer science
Jacob Liu, son of Zhongfa Liu and Angela Yang of Worthington
Favorite class: Multivariable Calculus
Interests: viola, Model United Nations, Code Club, Mathematics Club, journalism and Tetris
Possible fields of study: computer science/mathematics/economics
Samuel Massick, son of Dr. Douglas Massick and Dr. Susan Massick of Blacklick
Favorite classes: Honors Economics and Biology 2
Interests: soccer, football, track, reading, golf
Possible fields of study: classics, economics or history
Aniv Ray, son of Anup Ray and Dr. Alo Ray of Worthington
Favorite classes: Advanced Biology, Statistics, Honors Spanish 4 and the whole array of computer science classes
Interests: research, Science Olympiad, robotics, piano, playing and developing videogames, and tennis
Possible fields of study: technology and computer science
Anay Reddy, son of Dr. Raghuram Reddy and Neena Reddy of Dublin
Favorite class: Computer Science
Interests: golf, robotics and sports in general besides baseball
Possible fields of study: artificial intelligence and data science
Kathan Reddy, son of Dr. Venu Reddy and Dr. Polly Reddy of New Albany
Favorite classes: Comparative Government, Economics, Statistics, Chinese and English
Interests: Student Council, Model UN, debate, piano, Camerata, Politics Club, JV tennis and sitting in the lounge
Possible fields of study: international relations and political science
Alex Wang, son of Dr. Xianping Wang and Dr. Jianxia Chen of Dublin
Favorite class: Computer Science or Multivariable Calculus
Interests: math and science competitions, viola, cross country, programming and volunteering
Possible fields of study: computer science or chemical engineering
Howard Wang (not pictured), son of Joseph Wang and Dr. Lingying Zhao of Dublin
Favorite class: Statistics
Interests: football, tennis, violin, volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, lifting and cooking
Possible fields of study: aviation (pilot), aerospace engineering or business
Carolyn Zhang, daughter of Xiaoxiang Zhang and Kelly Liu of Westerville
Favorite class: Computer Science
Interests: volleyball, journalism and volunteering
Possible fields of study: computer science, entrepreneurship or medicine
Michelle Zong, daughter of Xiang Zong and Dr. Xue Wang of Dublin
Favorite class: all of them
Interests: Science Olympiad, tennis, and any type of card game
Possible fields of study: undecided but will likely be in STEM
Over 1.5 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2018 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 400 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the national scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.