Beyond the Honors
LJCDS National Merit Scholarship semifinalists share the unexpected lessons and experiences shaping their journeys.
What do five of the nation’s highest-achieving high school seniors say they’ve learned along the way? Their answers might surprise you.
It’s not about test scores or perfect grades. It’s about listening to different perspectives, asking for help, and discovering that some of life’s most meaningful lessons happen outside the classroom.
Five LJCDS seniors—Ariana Du, Sandy He, Nico Katz, Hailey Saavedra, and Hangsu “Ethan” Zhang—have been named semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. Recognized for their performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), they are among approximately 16,000 students nationwide, representing less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors.
It’s an exceptional academic achievement. But there’s much more to these Torreys than their test scores.
Ariana Du, an aspiring engineer, is involved in robotics, physics, and the Future Doctors and Scientists program. She’s also an artist, a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient, and a regular volunteer at the San Diego Food Bank. During the pandemic, she even memorized the flags of 193 countries just for fun.
Yet one of her biggest surprises in high school had nothing to do with academics. Ariana shared, “People are usually a lot friendlier than I assumed they would be.”
For Sandy He, a leader in the LJCDS Jazz Ensemble who also teaches younger instrumentalists and performs in pit orchestras for Middle School musicals, one of the most valuable lessons has been learning to appreciate different viewpoints.
“Discussions and debates have taught me to value perspectives that don’t necessarily align with my own,” Sandy shared.
That appreciation for different voices extends to music. When asked to choose an object representing a personal passion, Sandy selected an amplifier—not to make music louder, but to bring out the sound of quieter instruments so every performer can be heard.
Hailey Saavedra expressed something similar to Sandy: “I learned that moments of disagreement are really opportunities to enrich and better your own perspective of an issue.”
Hailey’s interests range from biomechanics coursework at UC San Diego and science competitions to volunteering at Scripps Mercy Hospital and tutoring younger students. She’s also active in student and youth leadership organizations. And when she finds a quiet moment, Hailey loves to read. Her current favorite? Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens.
For Nico Katz, whose interests include underwater robotics research, supercomputing, and engineering, an important lesson has been recognizing when to ask for help.
“Communication is a superpower in academic environments, even for those who are fast, independent learners,” he shared. The internet may have nearly every answer, Nico explained, but asking a teacher or friend can provide guidance that’s tailored to what you actually need.
Nico’s engineering interests have taken him well beyond campus, including research with a Georgia Tech professor and participation in the international RoboSub competition. Closer to home, he designed a kinetic marble sculpture for the Hub for Human Impact. He’s also a student government leader, a fencer, and a volunteer with the Autism Tree Project.
Hangsu “Ethan” Zhang joined LJCDS as a junior and shared that attending two high schools has given him opportunities to meet people from different backgrounds and become more open to unfamiliar ideas.
At LJCDS, he pursues his interest in chemistry through independent science fair research and working with teachers and classmates. Outside the classroom, he enjoys reading, playing chess, and volunteering at the San Diego Food Bank.
That volunteer work has been especially meaningful. Ethan shared, “Volunteering has helped me appreciate how small acts of service can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
More Torreys Recognized
LJCDS also congratulates nine seniors named Commended Students in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program: Natalie Amir-Lobel, Penelope Fleischer, Thomas Johnston, Emma Kuhn, Daniel Lai, Injin Park, Sachin Pathria, Matthew Slavin, and Calla Taylor. This distinction recognizes their outstanding academic achievement and places them among approximately 34,000 Commended Students nationwide.
Together, these 14 Torreys have earned remarkable academic recognition. Their stories also reflect something central to an LJCDS education: academic excellence and personal growth go hand in hand.
When asked what advice they would give younger students, Ariana and Ethan offered these reminders:
- “Focus on getting good grades, but don’t neglect the rest of your life for them,” Ariana advised.
- Ethan echoed that sentiment: “Don’t feel pressured to have everything figured out right away. Take advantage of opportunities to try new activities, meet different people, and discover what genuinely interests you.”
For these Torreys, the honors are worth celebrating. So are the friendships, discoveries, challenges, and everyday experiences that are helping shape who they’re becoming.
