Congratulations to Hannah Guffrey ’25 and Ishana Samaranayake ’25, who have been named National Merit Finalists! This prestigious recognition places them among the top high school students in the nation, representing less than 1% of the more than 1.3 million students who entered the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT/NMSQT. Hannah and Ishana were among Ohio’s highest-scoring students and now advance to the Finalist round, where they have the opportunity to compete for scholarships totaling nearly $26 million.
Their achievement is the latest in a series of academic honors. Earlier this year, Hannah earned a perfect ACT score—a testament to her deep intellectual curiosity and commitment to learning. At Wellington, she has pushed beyond traditional coursework, designing independent studies in advanced math and science while excelling in yearbook, robotics, cross country, and track.
Ishana was recently named a candidate for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, one of the nation’s most prestigious academic honors. A dedicated student-athlete, she has balanced academic excellence with her role on the girls’ basketball team while earning recognition as an AP Scholar for her performance on Advanced Placement exams.
Wellington is proud to support students like Hannah and Ishana as they pursue their passions, challenge themselves academically, and take full advantage of the opportunities available to them. Their success reflects their drive, determination, and the culture of excellence and innovation that defines Wellington.
We are incredibly proud of Hannah and Ishana and look forward to all they will accomplish in the future!
For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit nationalmerit.org.