Four Students From Stamford Awarded Prestigious National Merit Scholarships

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Four high school students from Stamford have been named winners of National Merit Scholarships.

Westhill High School senior Claire Howlett was one of four students from Stamford to win a National Merit Scholarship.
Photo Credit: *Courtesy Jeffrey Volpintesta, File Photo*

Caroline G. Ryan, who attends King Low Heywood Thomas, was one of four students from Stamford to win a National Merit Scholarship.
Photo Credit: *Courtesy King Low Heywood Thomas*

by Nathan Bruttell

05/08/2014 11:00 a.m.

Westhill High School seniors Claire Howlett and Luis Kumanduri will each receive a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship.

Both Howlett and Kumanduri plan to attend Stanford University in the fall.

Stamford resident Caroline Ryan, who attends King Low Heywood Thomas School, will also receive a $2,500 scholarship. She is attending Georgetown University in the fall.

Zachariah R. Smart, who attends SAR High School in the Bronx, N.Y., is the fourth scholarship winner from Stamford.

The winners were chosen from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists and were considered to have "the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in college," according to a press release. The scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors.

“I am proud though not surprised by this announcement,” said Westhill High School Principal Camille Figluizzi. "Both Claire and Luis have demonstrated their potential for success during their Westhill High School careers, and this scholarship is further testament to their outstanding abilities.”

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