CYPRESS — A total of 25 CFISD seniors representing eight high schools were confirmed as semifinalists in the 66th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, officials announced on Sept. 9, allowing academically talented students to continue in the competition for approximately 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million.
The following students have been named National Merit semifinalists:
Name | High School |
Smitha Bhagavatula | Bridgeland |
Samika Iyer | Bridgeland |
Rohit Jha | Bridgeland |
Ananya Kaalva | Bridgeland |
Yule Kim | Bridgeland |
Connor Mogford | Bridgeland |
Kathryn Lightfoot | Cy-Fair |
Jwalanthi Ranganathan | Cy-Fair |
Saniya Shaju | Cy-Fair |
Samhitha Bandi | Cypress Creek |
Kevin Lam | Cypress Creek |
Eric Bunton | Cypress Ranch |
Sandy Nguyen | Cypress Ranch |
James Wang | Cypress Ranch |
Sascha Granhold | Cypress Springs |
Alexander Huang | Cypress Woods |
Kevin Li | Cypress Woods |
Ruhi Mukherjee | Cypress Woods |
Ryan Parappuram | Cypress Woods |
Ashay Swadi | Cypress Woods |
Toby Yi | Cypress Woods |
Michael Chan | Jersey Village |
Lily Nguyen | Jersey Village |
Aadarsh Narayan | Langham Creek |
Christine Nguyen | Langham Creek |
The 25 semifinalists are among 16,000 students throughout the U.S. that placed among the top 1 percent of approximately 1.5 million students who entered the Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit School Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) during their junior year.
To become a finalist, semifinalists must submit a detailed scholarship application, including information about academic records, participation in school and community activities, leadership skills, employment, and honors and awards. In addition to the scholarship application, semifinalists must be endorsed by a high school official and write an essay.
Qualifying students will be notified of their final designation in February, with National Merit Scholarship winners announced beginning in April and concluding in July.

Hey, thank you for taking the time to read this article. Please like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to us on YouTube.
The Cypress News Review is your independent, locally owned online source for news, education news, information and sports in Cypress, Texas, since 2018.
Disclaimers: This website, related social media outlets, and future expansions, are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Bridgeland Development, LP. BRIDGELAND® is a registered trademark of Bridgeland Development, LP.
Support the Cypress News Review:
- Bookmark us!
- Like our Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CypressNewsReview)
- Follow our Twitter (https://twitter.com/CypressNewsRev)
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKIuHUwXbt_R673iszcLz7g).
- Visit our Amazon Store.
You must be logged in to post a comment.