Seniors Recognized for Academic Achievement
19 Commended Students in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program
The John Cooper School is proud to celebrate 19 seniors who have been named Commended Students in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.
The honored students are Saleha Akram, Jacob Bailey, Ryan Benes, Ella Cho, Aaron Connolly, Graham Dunlop, Caden Flowers, Lauren Kim, Matthew Kuntz, Nyan Lynn Htet, Ryleigh Pengel, Annalie Principi, Xiran Qin, Riya Rao, Riya Ray, Zac Turner, Ruyi Wang, and Ariel Winston
“These students distinguish themselves through intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, and a genuine commitment to their community. Their accomplishments reflect both the depth of their scholarship and the character that defines Cooper students,” said Laura Schroder, Director of College Counseling.
Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 of more than 1.5 million juniors nationwide who entered the 2026 competition by taking the 2024 PSAT/NMSQT®. While they will not continue in the 2026 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, they represent a group of students whose academic promise and achievements set them apart on a national level.
The recognition reflects the School’s mission to provide a challenging education in a caring environment, preparing students to be critical and creative thinkers, effective communicators, responsible citizens, and lifelong learners.
The John Cooper School
From Curiosity to Wisdom
The John Cooper School is an independent, non-sectarian, co-educational, college preparatory day school. Our mission is to provide a challenging education in a caring environment to a diverse group of select students, enabling them to become critical and creative thinkers, effective communicators, responsible citizens and leaders, and lifelong learners.
The John Cooper School seeks to attract qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds to its faculty, staff, and student body. The School does not discriminate against any individual in admissions, educational programs, personnel policies, general practices, or employment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, or age.
The John Cooper School seeks to attract qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds to its faculty, staff, and student body. The School does not discriminate against any individual in admissions, educational programs, personnel policies, general practices, or employment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, or age.
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