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Nine Fairfax County Public Schools students from five high schools were named recipients of college-sponsored 2026 National Merit Scholarships, according to FCPS. The awards provide between $500 and $2,000 per year for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing each scholarship.

The students were among more than 750 National Merit Finalists selected for additional scholarships financed by higher-education institutions. Four recipients attend Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, two attend Oakton High School, and one each attends Lake Braddock Secondary School, Westfield High School and Marshall High School.

The recipients and their sponsoring institutions are:

  • Ananya Bhatt, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology: National Merit Case Western Reserve University Scholarship. FCPS listed medicine as Bhatt’s probable career field.
  • Ronald Zhang, Lake Braddock Secondary School: National Merit University of Maryland Scholarship. FCPS listed computer science as Zhang’s probable career field.
  • Sihe Liu, Oakton High School: National Merit Virginia Commonwealth University Scholarship. FCPS listed chemical engineering as Liu’s probable career field.
  • Ronav Akella, Oakton High School: National Merit University of Maryland Scholarship. FCPS listed computer science as Akella’s probable career field.
  • Shaanvhi Jayaram, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology: National Merit Stony Brook University Scholarship. FCPS listed medicine as Jayaram’s probable career field.
  • Manojna Kandlagunta, Westfield High School: National Merit Stony Brook University Scholarship. FCPS listed medicine as Kandlagunta’s probable career field.
  • Anna Park, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology: National Merit University of Southern California Scholarship. FCPS listed computer programming as Park’s probable career field.
  • Jordan Gee, Marshall High School: National Merit Case Western Reserve University Scholarship. FCPS listed engineering as Gee’s probable career field.
  • Kaleb Hickling, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology: National Merit University of Florida Scholarship. FCPS listed aerospace engineering as Hickling’s probable career field.

Recipients were evaluated using their academic records, an essay, extracurricular activities, awards, leadership positions, confirming SAT scores, and a recommendation and endorsement from a high school official.

The nine students joined eight FCPS students whose college-sponsored awards were announced in June, producing a reported FCPS total of 17 college-sponsored awards for 2026. Nationwide, the final group brought the number of 2026 National Merit Scholars to more than 6,500, with scholarships totaling nearly $24 million.

FCPS also reported 31 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships and nine corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards offered to FCPS students in 2026.