The Morehead-Cain Foundation is proud to announce its class of 2026.

This fall, 75 new Morehead-Cain Scholars from throughout North Carolina, the United States, and the world will begin their undergraduate careers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill). The class of 2026 includes:

• 41 scholars from North Carolina
• 34 scholars from other U.S. states and territories
• 10 international scholars from Canada, India, South Sudan, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam

Morehead-Cain brings together a thriving cohort of thinkers, leaders, dreamers, creators, and adventurers, and provides them the tools to set their potential free. In addition to fully-funded studies at one of America’s foremost public research universities, scholars gain access to a network of peers and mentors, challenging internships and summer experiences, and an opportunity to travel the world.

“Morehead-Cain identifies, accelerates, and connects the most promising young leaders of all backgrounds,” said Chris Bradford, president of the Morehead-Cain Foundation. “We are proud to welcome another class of young leaders that embodies a rare combination of potential, principle, and purpose.”

Morehead-Cain Scholars regularly win distinguished national and international scholarships for graduate study, including the Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University and Gates Cambridge Scholarship at the University of Cambridge in England; the Luce, Marshall, and Truman Scholarships for overseas and domestic study; the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship at Stanford University; and the McCall MacBain Scholarship at McGill University in Canada. In 2021, for the first time in UNC-Chapel Hill’s history, three students—all Morehead-Cain Scholars—won the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship in the same year.

The Class of 2026 joins a community of more than 3,300 Morehead-Cain Alumni across the world, including:

• North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper ’79;
• Karen Stevenson ’79, a U.S. Magistrate Judge and the first Black woman from the United States to win the Rhodes Scholarship;
• Jerry Blackwell ’84, Minnesota Special Assistant Attorney General and prosecutor in the Derek Chauvin murder trial;
• Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Taylor Branch ’68;
• Best-selling novelist Shilpi Somaya Gowda ’92;
• David Baron ’12, CEO and co-founder of Nugget
• Sallie Krawcheck ’86, CEO and founder of Ellevate Network;
• North Carolina Representative Ricky Hurtado ’11, the first Latino Democrat elected to the North Carolina State Legislature and a Forbes 30 Under 30 for Education honoree;
• Danae Ringelmann ’00, co-founder of the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo; and
• Francis Collins ’77, former director of the National Institutes of Health (retired, 2021).

Since its founding in 1945, the Morehead-Cain Program has been a model for countless merit scholarships throughout the United States. These include the University of Virginia’s Jefferson Scholars Program, Duke University’s Benjamin N. Duke Scholars Program, and Emory University’s Woodruff Scholars Program.

Images of scholarship recipients can be downloaded here. A biography of each scholar is below.

Class of 2026

New Morehead-Cain Scholars are listed below alphabetically by North Carolina county, state, and country. Students noted with an asterisk (*) are listed in more than one location.

North Carolina | Out-of-State | International

North Carolina

Avery County

*Brook Cecilia Cheuvront (Brook) will graduate this spring from Avery County High School in Newland, North Carolina, where she serves as president and founder of the environmental club, captain of the Science Olympiad team, and captain of the cross-country team, as well as a member of the marching band and the varsity soccer and distance track teams. Brook will also graduate from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics online program this spring. She volunteers weekly at the Mayland Community College Bare Dark Sky Observatory, where she operates a 14-inch Meade telescope and promotes astronomical education within her community. In her spare time, Brook enjoys trail running with her dogs, playing violin, and participating in wilderness backpacking expeditions. At Carolina, she is interested in studying astrophysics, environmental justice, and creative writing. Brook is the daughter of April and Steve Cheuvront of Newland.

Buncombe County

Abigail Grace Beebe (Abbey) will graduate this spring from North Buncombe High School in Weaverville, North Carolina, where she served as student body vice president. Within student government, Abbey was chair of the service committee and helped oversee the second annual “Give Together,” a district-wide food drive dedicated to providing food for low-income families. She also co-founded the encouragement committee, a group committed to improving campus morale. Abbey is a member of Beta Club and part of the mock trial team. Outside of school, Abbey is an active member at Swannanoa Christian Church and serves as a childcare volunteer. She recently completed her first half-marathon and hopes to continue running at Chapel Hill. Abbey is also a member of the North Carolina Governor’s School class of 2021, where she attended for social science. At Carolina, Abbey hopes to major in English and comparative literature with a minor in creative writing, history, or Spanish. Abigail is the daughter of Monica Beebe and the late David Beebe of Weaverville.

*Ty Adell Besses (Ty) will graduate this spring from Christ School in Arden, North Carolina, where he serves as the first president of the Black Student Union. Ty is also the president and founder of the Voter Registration Initiative, the day student prefect, a career pathway ambassador, and a member of the finance club. In sports, Ty served as captain of the varsity basketball team (2021–2022), and he will compete in the 400-meter dash as well as the long jump and triple jump this spring on the track team. Outside of school, Ty has worked on his cousin’s farm since summer 2020, discovering a deep love for growing vegetables and the discipline of manual labor. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biomedical engineering and political science. Ty is the son of Lisa Besses of Asheville and Patricia Adell of Fletcher, North Carolina.

*Colin Morris O’Hagerty (Colin) graduated in January 2022 from Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina, where he served as student body vice president, vice president of the Orange High School Peace Club, starter on the varsity tennis team, drum major for the school’s marching band, and principal trombonist with the school’s wind ensemble and jazz band. Colin is also involved in music outside of school as a member of the Asheville Symphony Youth Orchestra and as a previous performer in various auditioned programs including the North Carolina Youth Wind Ensemble and the North Carolina Ambassadors of Music. He is very passionate about racial justice initiatives and is a founding member of the Triangle Students for Social Justice and a leader on the OHS Equity Team. Colin is a member of the North Carolina Governor’s School East class of 2021 and is currently spending a gap semester in Asheville to focus on community organizing. At Carolina, he is interested in studying music and statistics. Colin is the son of Shannon Morris and Michael O’Hagerty of Hillsborough.

Mary Martha Plaehn (Martha) will graduate this spring from Asheville School in Asheville, North Carolina, where she serves as the student body president and a senior prefect. She is captain of the varsity volleyball team as well as a player on the varsity soccer team. Martha loves the opportunity to learn in and outside of the classroom, with particular passions for the humanities and calculus. Outside of school, Martha has played ten years of club volleyball and works as a camp counselor during the summer. At Carolina, she is interested in studying American studies and mathematics. She also hopes to play club sports and join organizations focused on expanding voting rights and addressing climate change. Martha is the daughter of Helen and Tim Plaehn of Asheville, both of whom teach American studies at Asheville School.

Cleveland County

Hattie Eliza Hensley (Hattie) will graduate this spring from Shelby High School in Shelby, North Carolina, where she serves as the student body vice president, president of the school’s chapter of Beta club, a math tutor to middle school students, and captain of the women’s soccer and cross-country teams. Hattie created and organized “The Light Ball Dash,” a one-mile race that features holiday lights and raises awareness and donations for Feeding Kids Cleveland County. The event has raised over $15,000 for the organization. In her free time, Hattie enjoys running and is currently training for her third half-marathon. At Carolina, she is interested in studying biomedical engineering. Hattie is the daughter of Suzanne and Mitch Hensley of Shelby.

Durham County

*Chandler Ann Beals (Chandler) will graduate this spring from Elkin High School in Elkin, North Carolina, where she serves as student body president, Interact Club president, and co-captain of the women’s varsity soccer team. She co-founded and leads the speech and debate club and competed in varsity tennis, cross-country, basketball, and soccer. Chandler is dual-enrolled with the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and spent the summer before her senior year studying Arabic through a scholarship with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). Outside of school, Chandler serves as an outreach coordinator for the ESL Opportunity Project, which pairs high school students learning English around the world with language partners in the United States, and is an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Elkin. In her free time, Chandler enjoys playing the guitar, reading, and long-distance running. At Carolina, she is interested in pursuing global studies. Chandler is the daughter of Lisa and Frank Beals of Elkin.

*Brook Cecilia Cheuvront (Brook) will graduate this spring from Avery County High School in Newland, North Carolina, where she serves as president and founder of the environmental club, captain of the Science Olympiad team, and captain of the cross-country team, as well as a member of the marching band and the varsity soccer and distance track teams. Brook will also graduate from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics online program this spring. She volunteers weekly at the Mayland Community College Bare Dark Sky Observatory, where she operates a 14-inch Meade telescope and promotes astronomical education within her community. In her spare time, Brook enjoys trail running with her dogs, playing violin, and participating in wilderness backpacking expeditions. At Carolina, she is interested in studying astrophysics, environmental justice, and creative writing. Brook is the daughter of April and Steve Cheuvront of Newland.

*Sashank Ganapathiraju will graduate this spring from Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina. At Green Hope, he serves as senior class president, National Honor Society president, first-chair violist in the school orchestra, co-captain of the Science Bowl and Ethics Bowl teams, and is a member of the varsity lacrosse team. Sashank has coached the Davis Drive Middle School Science Bowl teams for the past four years, volunteered as a youth attorney and mentor at the Wake County Capital Area Teen Court for the past six years, and loves to volunteer at local Indian and Hindu events at temples. In 2020, he co-founded a nonprofit tutoring organization, the Vidhya Rights Foundation, and has worked to raise money through tutoring to fund the education of underprivileged students in India. Sashank is an avid athlete, playing basketball, soccer, football, and ultimate frisbee in his spare time, while also playing the mridangam, piano, viola, and drums. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biology (specifically neurology) and computer science. Sashank is the son of Kowsalya and Kumar Ganapathiraju of Cary.

*Riley Jo Holland (Riley Jo) will graduate this spring from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, where she serves as a student ambassador, a mock trial team captain, and a student sponsor of Agape, a Christian faith-based club. She spends her free time swimming, painting, and volunteering at Grace Community Wellness Outreach, where she was able to help feed more than 1,000 families in her hometown of Marion, North Carolina. She is passionate about political policy and equity of access to education. At Carolina, she is interested in studying humanities and social sciences to later pursue a law degree. She is the daughter of Heather and Shane Holland of Marion, North Carolina.

*Sarina Jarrahi Horner (Sarina) will graduate this spring from Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, North Carolina, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics online in Durham. At FCDS, Sarina served as the vice president of service, president of the Forsyth Backpack Program Club, and president of the Girls’ Service Club. She also serves on the judicial board and as an ambassador for FCDS. Sarina is the captain of the varsity girls’ golf team and a captain of the varsity track and field team. She co-founded the Youth Engagement Coalition with Wake Forest University and HandsOn NWNC, where she serves on the board, to increase youth engagement and volunteerism. Sarina co-founded Forsyth County Young Leaders Program which provides mentorship and education to historically underrepresented high school leaders, enabling them to increase the impact of their community initiatives. Over the past six years, Sarina has raised enough to provide more than 15,600 meals to food-insecure school-aged children, and was recently named one of the 20 under 20 most influential Iranians in North Carolina. Sarina successfully lobbied to lift the two-grocery-bag limit on public transportation in Forsyth County and is currently working with state representatives and senators to repeal the North Carolina tax on feminine hygiene products. Sarina is a member of the first class of female Eagle Scouts and the first female Eagle Scout to receive the National Certificate of Merit. Sarina is an outdoor enthusiast, enjoying skateboarding, surfing, snow skiing, camping, and running whenever she can. At Carolina, she plans to study economics. Sarina is the daughter of Shaida and Vance Horner II of Lewisville.

Samuel Henry Johnson (Sam) will graduate this spring from Charles E. Jordan High School in Durham, North Carolina, where he serves as captain of the tennis team, a member of the robotics club, and the fundraising coordinator for the Science Olympiad club. Sam is also the president of the Red Cross Club, a club dedicated to organizing school-wide blood drives twice a year. He also teaches tennis lessons twice a week to young children at his local tennis club. Outside of the classroom, Sam enjoys practicing piano and playing sports. At Carolina, he is interested in studying chemistry and physics, with the hope of attending medical school. Sam is the son of Valerie Alston Johnson and Samuel Johnson Jr. of Durham.

*Isabella Ann Larson (Ella) will graduate this spring from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, where she serves as co-founder and co-president of the Middle Eastern Cultures Club, a humanities teaching assistant, and founder and teacher of Roma Studies Forum. In the academic environment, she’s very involved in linguistics, studying Chinese, Spanish, and Latin. She spends much of her time outside of the classroom empowering young adults as the head of the Cultural Advisory Council at her local library, creating programs to educate and engage local youth and young adults. As an alumna, ambassador, and conversation guide for NewGen Peacebuilders, she also promotes tolerance, understanding, and peacebuilding skills in her local community. Another of Ella’s passions is local sustainability, which she pursues by organizing projects for her school’s Student Environmental Education Coalition, initiating a mask recycling program on her school campus, renovating her school’s native plant garden, contacting politicians about pressing climate change issues, and even rescuing a grounded baby bat. At Carolina, she is interested in studying environmental sciences and linguistics on the pre-med track, in hopes of becoming an integrative medicine practitioner. Ella is the daughter of Christy and Kenneth Larson of Mooresville, North Carolina.

*Charles Alan McCain (Charles) will graduate this spring from Durham Academy Upper School in Durham, North Carolina, where he serves as vice president of his class and a member of the Student Organization and Leadership Development committee. He is a peer educator and is one of four seniors who teach a Self and Community class to the freshmen. Additionally, he is a leader of his school’s RAISE (Raising Awareness for Inclusion and Social Equity) club, where he creates diversity programming for pre-K through 12th graders, leads cultural competency workshops, and proposes and institutes curricular reform for more inclusive and diverse learning. He has a blog and an 11-episode podcast called Manage Your Money! in which he educates his viewers and readers on the basics of financial literacy. He is captain of the men’s varsity soccer team at his school and enjoys playing sports with his friends. At Carolina, he is interested in studying business at the Kenan-Flagler Business School. Charles is the son of Lori and Wendell McCain of Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

*Jacob Andrew Rose (Jake) will graduate this spring from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, where he serves as a residential life assistant on his 37-student hall and as president of the NCSSM Outdoors Club. As an Eagle Scout, Jake developed a 3D-printable sensory fidget resource for children with special needs and continued this by founding the nonprofit 3D Sensory Tools. He has been an entrepreneur since age nine, donating profits from his business, Surfside Shack, to Surfers Healing, a surf camp for children with autism, as well as being an active volunteer with the organization. He is a captain of a four-year, internationally-qualifying SeaPerch Underwater Robotics team which placed first in the Engineering Design Presentation at the 2021 International SeaPerch competition. Jake was selected to represent North Carolina in the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition and was chosen for publication in the Broad Street Scientific Research Journal with his yearlong independent research project developing a biodegradable, bioactive, and variable-density 3D printer filament for use in patient-specific bone implants. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biomedical engineering on the pre-med track. Jake is the son of Bonnie and Todd Rose of Wilmington, North Carolina.

*Vish Ravichandran (Vish) will graduate this spring from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, where he serves as co-director of State Relations, math teacher assistant, and co-editor-in-chief of the Broad Street Scientific. Vish co-founded and serves as the CEO of MISO, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to ensuring equitable education. He has also served as a volunteer counselor for NCSSM’s Summer Accelerator. In his free time, Vish enjoys watching Netflix, cooking, and weightlifting. At Carolina, he is interested in studying statistics and computer science. Vish is the son of Arthy Ravichandran and Ravi Subramaniam of Raleigh.

Elijah Sa’Quan Sellers (Elijah) will graduate this spring from Tarboro High School in Tarboro, North Carolina, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, where he serves as president of the Legacy Club and residential life assistant. Outside of school, Elijah is a member of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He is also the co-host of the Resilience Zone Podcast. At Carolina, he plans to study social justice and political science. Elijah is the son of Sheila Cook of Durham.

Forsyth County

*Sarina Jarrahi Horner (Sarina) will graduate this spring from Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, North Carolina, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics online in Durham. At FCDS, Sarina served as the vice president of service, president of the Forsyth Backpack Program Club, and president of the Girls’ Service Club. She also serves on the judicial board and as an ambassador for FCDS. Sarina is the captain of the varsity girls golf team and a captain of the varsity track and field team. She co-founded the Youth Engagement Coalition with Wake Forest University and HandsOn NWNC, where she serves on the board, to increase youth engagement and volunteerism. Sarina co-founded Forsyth County Young Leaders Program which provides mentorship and education to historically underrepresented high school leaders, enabling them to increase the impact of their community initiatives. Over the past six years, Sarina has raised enough to provide more than 15,600 meals to food insecure school-aged children and was recently named one of the 20 under 20 most influential Iranians in North Carolina. Sarina successfully lobbied to lift the two grocery bag limit on public transportation in Forsyth County and is currently working with state representatives and senators to repeal the North Carolina tax on feminine hygiene products. Sarina is a member of the first class of female eagle scouts and the first female eagle scout to receive the National Certificate of Merit. Sarina is an outdoor enthusiast, enjoying skateboarding, surfing, snow skiing, camping, and running whenever she can. At Carolina, she plans to study economics. Sarina is the daughter of Shaida and Vance Horner II of Lewisville.

Jackson Eric Miller (Jackson) will graduate this spring from Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he serves as senior class president, lead anchor of the WMTH News, and a STAND Club leader. He has played on his high school’s soccer and tennis teams for the past four years. Jackson served as a junior marshal and attended North Carolina Governor’s School in the area of natural science. Outside of school, Jackson enjoys fishing, kayaking, and attending Young Life. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biology and/or biomedical engineering. Jackson is the son of Julie and Lance Miller of Winston-Salem.

Gaston County

Wehazit Mussie will graduate this spring from Highland School of Technology in Gastonia, North Carolina, where she serves as senior class president and vice president of HOSA. She is a volunteer at CaroMont Regional Medical Center in their Cancer and Surgery Waiting Units. She is captain of the Highland varsity tennis team and a member of the Highland varsity soccer team. She’s the president of Gastonia’s PERIOD Project chapter, a nonprofit organization that fights to end period poverty, a fellow at Alliance for Climate Education (ACE), and vice president of the Teen Action Council through Gaston County’s Health Department. At Carolina, she is interested in studying environmental health sciences or nutrition. She is the daughter of Nebiat G-Selassie and Mussie U-Yohannes of Gastonia.

Chloe Sherry Pearson (Chloe) will graduate this spring from Gaston Christian School in Gastonia, North Carolina, where she serves as president of the student body, president of the investment club, and captain of the varsity cheerleading team. As a member of the National Beta Club, Chloe organized a school-wide toy drive for the local Boys and Girls Club, collecting more than 200 toys and items of clothing. In her community, Chloe is actively involved in Teens Changing Gaston County and the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council, where she currently serves as the vice chairperson. At Carolina, she is interested in studying health care administration. Chloe is the daughter of Tracee and Joe Pearson of Gastonia.

Granville County

Isaac Charles Watkins will graduate this spring from Oxford Preparatory School in Oxford, North Carolina, where he serves as a member of the student government, captain of the cross-country and swim teams, and president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Isaac worked with his school’s governing board to establish student representative positions to ensure student involvement in the school’s policy process. Additionally, Isaac constructed a prayer garden at his church, Sharon Baptist, for his Eagle Scout service project. He also attended the 2021 session of the North Carolina Governor’s School in the social science discipline. In his free time, Isaac enjoys volunteering, jamming on the guitar, and exploring new specialty coffees. At Carolina, he is interested in studying philosophy and religious studies. Isaac is the son of Kelly Watkins and Christopher Cox of Oxford.

Guilford County

Lourdes Maribel Reyes Cabrera (Lourdes) will graduate this spring from High Point Central High School in High Point, North Carolina, where she serves as a Battle of the Books Club representative, and where she plays soccer and badminton. As part of a minority group, she serves the Hispanic community through volunteering at the YWCA Latino Family Center. Three characteristics that best describe her are determination, perseverance, and creativity. Lourdes believes that respect is essential in every aspect of life. She believes that if everyone learned to respect each other and treat one another with kindness, the world would be a much more peaceful place. At Carolina, she is interested in studying biology. Lourdes Reyes is the daughter of Lourdes Cabrera of High Point.

Harnett County

*Luis Alfredo Valdivia Diego (Luis) will graduate this spring from Harnett Central High School in Angier, where he serves as student body president and plays for the school’s soccer and tennis teams. Luis is focused on challenging social and economic issues surrounding education. At Carolina, he is interested in studying political science and public policy. Luis is the son of Antonia Diego Perez and Alejandro Valdivia of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.

Henderson County

*Ty Adell Besses (Ty) will graduate this spring from Christ School in Arden, where he serves as the first president of the Black Student Union. Ty is also the president and founder of the Voter Registration Initiative, the day student prefect, a career pathway ambassador, and a member of the finance club. In sports, Ty served as captain of the varsity basketball team (2021–2022), and he will compete in the 400-meter dash as well as the long jump and triple jump this spring on the track team. Outside of school, Ty has worked on his cousin’s farm since summer 2020, discovering a deep love for growing vegetables and the discipline of manual labor. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biomedical engineering and political science. Ty is the son of Lisa Besses of Asheville and Patricia Adell of Fletcher, North Carolina.

Iredell County

*Isabella Ann Larson (Ella) will graduate this spring from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, where she serves as co-founder and co-president of the Middle Eastern Cultures Club, a humanities teaching assistant, and founder and teacher of Roma Studies Forum. In the academic environment, she’s very involved in linguistics, studying Chinese, Spanish, and Latin. She spends much of her time outside of the classroom empowering young adults as the head of the Cultural Advisory Council at her local library, creating programs to educate and engage local youth and young adults. As an alumna, ambassador, and conversation guide for NewGen Peacebuilders, she also promotes tolerance, understanding, and peacebuilding skills in her local community. Another of Ella’s passions is local sustainability, which she pursues by organizing projects for her school’s Student Environmental Education Coalition, initiating a mask recycling program on her school campus, renovating her school’s native plant garden, contacting politicians about pressing climate change issues, and even rescuing a grounded baby bat. At Carolina, she is interested in studying environmental sciences and linguistics on the pre-med track, in hopes of becoming an integrative medicine practitioner. Ella is the daughter of Christy and Kenneth Larson of Mooresville, North Carolina.

*Montgomery Case Maddox (Case) will graduate this spring from Pine Lake Preparatory in Mooresville, where he serves as student body president, Model UN co-president, Mu Alpha Theta co-president, and Special Olympics vice president. In Model UN, Case has pursued his aspirations in diplomacy and won Outstanding Delegate in his most recent conference at Chapel Hill. Through Mu Alpha Theta and Special Olympics, he has devoted his efforts to allowing students to find opportunities as tutors and serving at Special Olympics activities. Outside of school, Case competes in both cross-country and track and field. At Carolina, he is interested in studying global studies with a political focus and economics. Case is the son of Renee and Jeremy Maddox of Huntersville, North Carolina.

McDowell County

*Riley Jo Holland (Riley Jo) will graduate this spring from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, where she serves as a student ambassador, a mock trial team captain, and a student sponsor of Agape, a Christian faith-based club. She spends her free time swimming, painting, and volunteering at Grace Community Wellness Outreach, where she was able to help feed more than 1,000 families in her hometown of Marion, North Carolina. She is passionate about political policy and equity of access to education. At Carolina, she is interested in studying humanities and social sciences to later pursue a law degree. She is the daughter of Heather and Shane Holland of Marion.

Mecklenburg County

Maya Jade DeCoux (Maya) will graduate this spring from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she serves as co-president of the Teens For Courage Club, spreading awareness of domestic violence and abusive relationships; secretary of Science National Honor Society; and a member of the DREAM (Dare to Role Model Excellence As Mentors) Team. Maya is additionally an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program student, where she takes her academic pursuits a step further with research and practical application. A leader beyond the classroom, Maya is the recording secretary for the Queen City Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc., an executive board member of Wake Forest University’s College LAUNCH for Leadership Program, a science tutor, a mentor for elementary students, and a competitive dancer at BB Dance Productions. Maya is most passionate about animal advocacy and the promotion of animal testing alternatives, as well as preventing and ending teen violence in relationships. At Carolina, she is interested in studying psychology and genetics on the pre-med track. Maya is the daughter of Keela and Steve DeCoux of Charlotte.

Thierry Nii Noi Charles (Thierry) will graduate this spring from Charlotte Latin School in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he serves as a leader of the school’s Black Student Alliance as well as a varsity lacrosse captain. He is a co-founder of Students for Students, a high school organization that uses peer-led small groups to destigmatize and encourage authentic conversations surrounding mental wellness. Thierry is an All-District clarinetist and a member of his school’s Tri-M music society, as well as an eager science student who has presented environmental research at the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium. He loves building relationships with others, whether in the band room or in the lab. At Carolina, he is interested in studying chemistry or biology with the hopes of pursuing medicine as a career. Thierry is the son of Cynthia Nortey and William Charles of Charlotte.

Avery Renee Elder will graduate this spring from William Amos Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina, where she serves as Women In Stem officer of outreach, president of Love For Our Elders, and team captain of women’s varsity golf. Working with Women in Cloud, Microsoft, and WiSTEM, she loves advocating for young women in technology. Volunteering with the First Tee, Music for Friends with Friends, and Love For Our Elders, she inspires others through golf, music, and making cards. Avery sings and plays the guitar and piano, and has been a choir member of the Howling Huskies. At Carolina, she is interested in studying business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship and technology. Avery is the daughter of Dawn-Marie and Robert Elder of Cornelius.

*Montgomery Case Maddox (Case) will graduate this spring from Pine Lake Preparatory in Mooresville, North Carolina, where he serves as student body president, Model UN co-president, Mu Alpha Theta co-president, and Special Olympics vice president. In Model UN, Case has pursued his aspirations in diplomacy and won Outstanding Delegate in his most recent conference at Chapel Hill. Through Mu Alpha Theta and Special Olympics, he has devoted his efforts to allowing students to find opportunities in both tutoring and serving at Special Olympics activities. Outside of school, Case competes in cross-country and track and field. At Carolina, he is interested in studying global studies with a political focus and economics. Case is the son of Renee and Jeremy Maddox of Huntersville, North Carolina.

Lucy Gillen Sasz (Lulu) will graduate this spring from Charlotte Country Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she is a four-sport varsity athlete. She is captain of the varsity tennis team, plays basketball and soccer, and pole vaults. Lulu is an outdoors enthusiast and loves backpacking, whitewater kayaking, rock climbing, and surfing. During her junior year, Lulu attended a semester program at the Alzar School in Cascade, Idaho, where she lived in a yurt and led whitewater and backpacking expeditions. With a passion for sculpture, Lulu attended the North Carolina Governor’s School during the summer of 2021. At Carolina, she is interested in studying psychology and environmental science. Lulu is the daughter of Nancy and Steven Sasz of Charlotte.

Aditi Sengupta (Aditi) will graduate this spring from Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Aditi is the president and co-founder of Xcelerate NC, an educational nonprofit that works with children globally. She is passionate about public speaking and organizes online workshops and classes to help students develop their confidence and strengthen their voices. At her school, she is the president of the mock trial team and a captain of the speech and debate team. Aditi is a 2nd-Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do with expertise in self-defense techniques and Japanese swords. Aditi has trained in vocal music for more than ten years with proficiency in jazz, Broadway, and Italian aria, and attended the North Carolina Governor’s School choral music program in 2021. At Carolina, she is interested in studying economics and political science. Aditi is the daughter of Aparna Sen and Jayanta Sengupta of Charlotte.

Stella Jean Smolowitz (Stella) will graduate this spring from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she serves as captain of the cross-country team and vice president of Unified Champions, a club that brings together students with and without disabilities. She also helped launch a program to welcome transfer students. Outside of school, Stella is co-president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council and one of three student members on the school district’s Equity Committee, where she advocated for a fairer discipline appeals process. During the COVID-19 shutdown, she created and distributed at-home STEM kits to low-income students as a project with NewGen, a youth peace education program, and collected more than 1,500 books for disadvantaged students. Stella is active in NFTY, a regional Jewish youth group, and is fluent in Spanish. At Carolina, she is interested in studying public health with a minor in Spanish. Stella is the daughter of Michelle and Peter Smolowitz of Charlotte.

Pitt County

Eleanor Catherine Blount (Eleanor) will graduate this spring from Junius H. Rose High School in Greenville, North Carolina, where she serves as student body president, J. H. Rose Unified Champion School student leader, former news co-editor of her school’s newspaper, and captain of both the varsity swim and women’s lacrosse teams. Eleanor has been an active member of her school’s Student Government Association, serving as a class officer and implementing school and class-wide service initiatives and fundraisers for all four years of high school. During the 2020–2021 school year, Eleanor also started a free virtual tutoring program for a local Title 1 middle school. Along with her leadership positions, Eleanor is also a member of Link Crew, a program that works to integrate and guide the freshman class into the high school atmosphere; National Honor Society; Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society; English Honor Society; Science National Honor Society; and Quill and Scroll Journalism Honor Society. At Carolina, she is interested in studying global studies and journalism. Eleanor is the daughter of Rebecca and Marvin Blount of Greenville.

New Hanover

*Jacob Andrew Rose (Jake) will graduate this spring from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, where he serves as a residential life assistant on his 37-student hall and as president of the NCSSM Outdoors Club. As an Eagle Scout, Jake developed a 3D-printable sensory fidget resource for children with special needs and continued this by founding the nonprofit 3D Sensory Tools. He has been an entrepreneur since age nine, donating profits from his business, Surfside Shack, to Surfers Healing, a surf camp for children with autism, as well as being an active volunteer with the organization. He is a captain of a four-year, internationally-qualifying SeaPerch Underwater Robotics team which placed first in the Engineering Design Presentation at the 2021 International SeaPerch competition. Jake was selected to represent North Carolina in the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition and was chosen for publication in the Broad Street Scientific Research Journal with his yearlong independent research project developing a biodegradable, bioactive, and variable-density 3D printer filament for use in patient-specific bone implants. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biomedical engineering on the pre-med track. Jake is the son of Bonnie and Todd Rose of Wilmington.

Varun Varadarajan (Varun) will graduate this spring from Isaac Bear Early College High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he serves as the president of the school’s National Honor Society chapter and vice president of the Science Olympiad team. He is a captain of the Hoggard High School varsity tennis team and a member of the Port City Robotics FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) team. He also plays badminton, soccer, and basketball. Varun is passionate about STEM education and spends his free time helping elementary and middle school students in science and math activities. He established the first MATHCOUNTS team at a local school and serves as a head coach. At Carolina, he plans to study computer science. Varun is the son of Aruna Lakshmanan and Sridhar Varadarajan of Wilmington.

Orange County

Mark Andrew Dingfelder (Mark) will graduate this spring from East Chapel Hill High School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he serves as president of Habitat for Humanity. He is also president of Blankets for Better, a school organization that creates homemade blankets to donate to local children’s hospitals and shelters with the hope of offering comfort to children during times of trauma and stress. Mark is a volunteer with the National Honor Society and a foreign language immersion program in Chapel Hill called Flip4Kids that provides kids with natural language immersion opportunities. Through an Internship in Science and Health Training and Research (ISHTaR), he worked at UNC’s Emergency Medicine Department, where he focused on pediatric research and spread awareness of the needs and disparities experienced by marginalized communities. He also enjoyed playing and serving as captain for both his club and school soccer teams. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biology, psychology, and Spanish. Mark is the son of Rebecca and Eric Dingfelder of Chapel Hill.

*Charles Alan McCain (Charles) will graduate this spring from Durham Academy Upper School in Durham, North Carolina, where he serves as vice president of his class and a member of the Student Organization and Leadership Development committee. He is a peer educator and is one of four seniors who teach a Self and Community class to the freshmen. Additionally, he is a leader of his school’s RAISE (Raising Awareness for Inclusion and Social Equity) club, where he creates diversity programming for pre-K through 12th graders, leads cultural competency workshops, and proposes and institutes curricular reform for more inclusive and diverse learning. He has a blog and an 11-episode podcast called Manage Your Money! in which he educates his viewers and readers on the basics of financial literacy. He is captain of the men’s varsity soccer team at his school and enjoys playing sports with his friends. At Carolina, he is interested in studying business at the Kenan-Flagler Business School. Charles is the son of Lori and Wendell McCain of Chapel Hill.

*Colin Morris O’Hagerty (Colin) graduated in January 2022 from Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina, where he served as student body vice president, vice president of the Orange High School Peace Club, starter on the varsity tennis team, drum major for the school’s marching band, and principal trombonist with the school’s wind ensemble and jazz band. Colin is also involved in music outside of school as a member of the Asheville Symphony Youth Orchestra and as a previous performer in various auditioned programs including the North Carolina Youth Wind Ensemble and the North Carolina Ambassadors of Music. He is very passionate about racial justice initiatives and is a founding member of the Triangle Students for Social Justice and a leader on the OHS Equity Team. Colin is a member of the North Carolina Governor’s School East class of 2021 and is currently spending a gap semester in Asheville to focus on community organizing. At Carolina, he is interested in studying music and statistics. Colin is the son of Shannon Morris and Michael O’Hagerty of Hillsborough.

Pasquotank County

Emma Reese Montero (Emma) will graduate this spring from Northeastern High School in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, where she serves as president of the National Honor Society, officer for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and co-captain of the varsity tennis and soccer teams. Emma loves gardening and has further developed this passion by serving as vice president of Northeastern’s FFA and maintaining a large home garden. She volunteers weekly with the Albemarle Commission Meals on Wheels program and has worked for many years at Montero’s Restaurant. At Carolina, she is interested in studying sports administration, social and economic justice, and Spanish. Emma is the daughter of Karin and Andy Montero of Elizabeth City.

Surry County

*Chandler Ann Beals (Chandler) will graduate this spring from Elkin High School in Elkin, North Carolina, where she serves as student body president, Interact Club president, and co-captain of the women’s varsity soccer team. She co-founded and leads the speech and debate club and competed in varsity tennis, cross-country, basketball, and soccer. Chandler is dual-enrolled with the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and spent the summer before her senior year studying Arabic through a scholarship with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). Outside of school, Chandler serves as an outreach coordinator for the ESL Opportunity Project, which pairs high school students learning English around the world with language partners in the United States, and is an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Elkin. In her free time, Chandler enjoys playing the guitar, reading, and long-distance running. At Carolina, she is interested in pursuing global studies. Chandler is the daughter of Lisa and Frank Beals of Elkin.

Transylvania County

Emma Leigh Coye will graduate this spring from Brevard High School in Brevard, North Carolina, where she serves as student body president, co-chairperson of the Student Wellness Committee in its inaugural year, and co-captain of the varsity cross-country team. Emma serves her community through volunteering with the Transylvania Youth Council, tutoring young girls in math, and eagerly advocating for a healthy environment through multiple organizations. Emma attended North Carolina Governor’s School West this past summer in the math discipline. As a member of the varsity cross-country and track teams, she has attended a total of seven state championship meets. In her free time, Emma loves to visit her back yard by hiking the mountains of Pisgah National Forest, photographing her travels, and singing wherever she goes. At Carolina, she is interested in studying computer science. Emma is the daughter of Jessica Alexander of Penrose, North Carolina, and Ed Coye of Brevard.

Wake County

Esha Agarwal will graduate this spring from Enloe High School in Raleigh, where she serves as vice president of Key Club, a valued top-six member of the women’s varsity tennis team, a varsity debater, and author of two scientific publications. She is a National Merit Scholar finalist, a Presidential Scholar nominee, and an AP Scholar with Distinction. As a community leader, she founded a grant-funded sports nonprofit, Tennis4Kiddos, coded and created the provisionally patented app, outSMARTPD (which is the first objective app to assess Parkinsonian symptoms), and is a global ambassador for the MynaMahila Foundation as an advocate for feminine hygiene and empowerment. In her free time, Esha loves trying out new recipes, singing Hindustani classical music, pursuing water sports, and volunteering at the science museum. At Carolina, she is interested in studying environmental health science. Esha is the daughter of Neelu and Abhay Agarwal of Cary.

Kayla WenMin Van Oostrum Engler (Kayla) will graduate this spring from Cary High School in Cary, North Carolina, where she serves as student body president, co-captain of the varsity cheerleading team, and a captain of the speech and debate team. She has led her school’s speech team to, and competed in, the NCFL and NSDA national tournaments in both her junior and senior years, where she has spoken about the adverse impacts of internalized racism and sexism. Kayla is also a member of her school’s stunt team, student ambassador club, and National Honor Society. Outside of Cary High, she coaches youth gymnastics. Inspired by her junior year AP Capstone research project on Transracial International Adoptees, she founded a youth-led organization, Adoptee & Me, which focuses on facilitating meaningful conversations between adoptees. At Carolina, she is interested in studying business, political science, communications, and Spanish. Kayla is the daughter of Amy Van Oostrum-Engler and Ray Engler of Cary.

Jazlyn Dunn will graduate this spring from Cary Academy in Cary, North Carolina, where she serves as president of the African American Affinity Group (AAAG) and vice student chief diversity officer of Coexist. Through these leadership positions, Jazlyn has dedicated herself to preserving diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as advocating for equitable representation of minority students within the Cary Academy community. She hosted Black History Month performances each year, worked with the school to put up more Black artwork throughout the upper school, and formed a mentorship program to establish a relationship between the middle and upper school AAAGs. Aside from her diversity work, Jazlyn enjoys learning foreign languages such as Spanish and ASL, as well as volunteering with Inspire’s special needs cheer team. At Carolina, she is interested in studying neuroscience or psychology with the hope of pursuing medicine. Jazlyn is the daughter of Jazzmus Dunn of Raleigh.

*Sashank Ganapathiraju will graduate this spring from Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina. At Green Hope, he serves as senior class president, National Honor Society president, first-chair violist in the school orchestra, co-captain of the Science Bowl and Ethics Bowl teams, and is a member of the varsity lacrosse team. Sashank has coached the Davis Drive Middle School Science Bowl teams for the past four years, volunteered as a youth attorney and mentor at the Wake County Capital Area Teen Court for the past six years, and loves to volunteer at local Indian and Hindu events at temples. In 2020, he co-founded a nonprofit tutoring organization, the Vidhya Rights Foundation, and has worked to raise money through tutoring to fund the education of underprivileged students in India. Sashank is an avid athlete, playing basketball, soccer, football, and ultimate frisbee in his spare time, while also playing the mridangam, piano, viola, and drums. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biology (specifically neurology) and computer science. Sashank is the son of Kowsalya and Kumar Ganapathiraju of Cary.

Layan Qaimari will graduate this spring from Apex High School in Apex, North Carolina, where she leads Women in Science and is actively involved in HOSA and DECA. Layan volunteers at Zakat Foundation, a nonprofit focused on providing relief domestically and internationally. She also teaches students in a variety of subjects through online classes through Youth Helping Youth. Layan loves creating art, including ceramics, Arabic calligraphy, collages, and acrylic paintings. At Carolina, she is interested in studying public health and journalism while minoring in Arabic. Layan Qaimari is the daughter of Shirin and Muawiah Qaimari of Cary.

Lauryn Jada Taylor (Lauryn) will graduate this spring from Green Level High School in Cary, North Carolina, where she serves as her school representative for the Wake County Superintendent Leadership Council, founder and president of the Student Ambassador Program, co-president of the Girls of Green Level Athletics, and co-founder of her school’s peer mentoring program. Outside of school, she serves as a media manager for Black Parent Magazine, an intern at a local assisted living facility, and has been in Girl Scouts for 12 years. In her free time, Lauryn enjoys writing and traveling, and hopes to spend some time abroad. At Carolina, she is interested in global studies or public health with hopes of becoming a doctor. Lauryn is the daughter of Nadine and Rodney Taylor of Cary.

*Luis Alfredo Valdivia Diego (Luis) will graduate this spring from Harnett Central High School in Angier, North Carolina, where he serves as student body president and plays for the school’s soccer and tennis teams. Luis is focused on challenging social and economic issues surrounding education. At Carolina, he is interested in studying political science and public policy. Luis is the son of Antonia Diego Perez and Alejandro Valdivia of Fuquay-Varina.

*Vish Ravichandran (Vish) will graduate this spring from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, where he serves as co-director of State Relations, math teacher assistant, and co-editor-in-chief of the Broad Street Scientific. Vish co-founded and serves as the CEO of MISO, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to ensuring equitable education. He has also served as a volunteer counselor for NCSSM’s Summer Accelerator. In his free time, Vish enjoys watching Netflix, cooking, and weightlifting. At Carolina, he is interested in studying statistics and computer science. Vish is the son of Arthy Ravichandran and Ravi Subramaniam of Raleigh.

Kailey Wadsworth (Kailey) will graduate this spring from St. David’s School in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she serves as service prefect, a four-sport athlete, track and field captain, co-president of the diversity and inclusion club, and member of the Honor Council and National Honor Society. Kailey is very involved in her community, accumulating more than 500 hours of community service, promoting her social impact initiative Kindness Counts, providing youth of all races, genders, and socioeconomic statuses with access to the arts and STEM. Throughout her high school career, Kailey has been a pageant titleholder, a pianist, and composer. In high school, Kailey enjoyed taking challenging STEM research courses, specifically those in water quality and public health. In the future, Kailey hopes to continue her advocacy for health care equity and environmental sustainability. At Carolina, she is interested in studying health policy and management as well as environmental health sciences. Kailey is the daughter of Sally and Keith Wadsworth of Holly Springs, North Carolina.

Wayne County

Isa Alghorazi  will graduate this spring from Eastern Wayne High School in Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he serves as an active member of Key Club and student government. As a Key Club lieutenant governor, Isa has helped direct clothing and food drives for his local community. He is an avid tennis player on the school team, and a hiker along the various greenways of North Carolina. He is passionate about using computer science to help society. At Carolina, he is interested in studying computer science and business. Isa is the son of Musa Alghorazi and Queen Alhanshali of Goldsboro.

Out of State

Alabama

Olurotimi Kukoyi (Rotimi) will graduate this spring from Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, where he serves as a representative in student government. Immersing himself in community-based initiatives, Rotimi has helped coordinate more than 1,600 hours in community service as an executive council member of the Hoover Ambassador organization and has spearheaded efforts to expand free academic support at his high school and in Nigeria. A lifelong soccer player, Rotimi has competed at the national level with his club team and placed as state semi-finalists with his high school varsity team, for which he now serves as a captain. After competing in the Jeopardy Teen Tournament, Rotimi began volunteering with the national PanCAN nonprofit to promote funding and advocacy efforts for pancreatic cancer victims in honor of Alex Trebek. At Carolina, Rotimi is interested in studying biology and public health. He has pursued these interests through a mentored microbiology research internship, using his work to creatively promote public health and health literacy to thousands through social media. Rotimi is the son of Amy and Ladi Kukoyi of Hoover.

Alaska

Chloe Alysa Gosnell (Chloe) will graduate this spring from Ketchikan High School in Ketchikan, Alaska. She currently serves as student government parliamentarian, National Honor Society secretary, co-captain of the varsity cheer team, and a member of the debate team. Chloe has accumulated more than 500 volunteer hours through her involvement with Lord’s Table and Rotary Interact, and through mentoring incoming freshmen. Chloe is passionate about log rolling, leading her to compete in the Lumberjack World Championships. She has since created a log-rolling program, through which she coaches youth in her community. At Carolina, she is interested in studying medicine and public health. Chloe is the daughter of Melissa and Tony Gosnell of Ketchikan.

Arizona

Karasi Colter will graduate this spring from Betty H. Fairfax High School in Laveen, Arizona, where she serves as a member of her school’s Black Student Union, concert band, marching band, and girls tennis. She is taking IB (International Baccalaureate) courses within her school and is enrolled as an ACE (Achieving a College Education) scholar at South Mountain Community College. Her dedication to serving her community is especially prevalent through her work as a youth representative of Dsquared Homes for the Homeless, where she has served more than 2,000 homeless people alongside her fellow community members. In her personal time, she started an at-home baking business and writes short stories. At Carolina, she is interested in studying economics. Karasi is the daughter of Laura Lee and Shawn Colter of Phoenix, Arizona.

California

Mira Gowda will graduate this spring from The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, California, where she is on the tennis team, co-editor-in-chief of Globe Magazine, and part of the planning committee for the Social Innovation Competition. She is the founder of a local chapter of The Urban Garden Initiative and the vice president of All Girls STEM Society. Mira also teaches a cooking science camp to students at her local Boys and Girls Club and is interested in the intersection between human health and the environment. At Carolina, she is interested in studying environmental studies. Mira is the daughter of Shilpi and Anand Gowda of San Diego.

Colorado

Kira Arlene Isenhart will graduate this spring from Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colorado, where she serves as president of Key Club and Big Sisters. She is also an original oratory speech captain and works on the Principal’s Advisory Board to advocate for equitable mental health access for students. Kira is co-founder of Douglas County Youth Alliance, a youth-led organization focusing on partnering with the campaigns of progressive candidates running for local office. As an intern for State Senator Jeff Bridges, she worked on connecting members of the community with financial assistance services during the pandemic and provided testimony for mental health and gun safety bills. She serves on the Board of Directors of YouthRoots, a nonprofit organization focusing on youth empowerment, fundraising, and grant writing, where she has raised over $40,000 to be donated to sexual assault crisis services. As a Colorado native, Kira is also an avid hiker, climbing fourteeners during the summer. At Carolina, she is interested in studying public policy with a concentration in education and labor markets, as well as Spanish and history. Kira is the daughter of Raquel and Charles Isenhart of Centennial, Colorado.

Florida

Gowri Abhinanda (Gowri) will graduate this spring from Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Florida, where she serves as a student organizer and writer on campus. Following the Parkland tragedy in her community, Gowri involved herself in gun violence prevention advocacy through March For Our Lives. She also works for Team ENOUGH, an organization supported by Brady, where she leads a group that lobbies elected officials to support gun violence prevention reform. Later, she expanded her work to women’s rights advocacy with Generation Ratify and voter accessibility through When We All Vote and was featured on Michelle Obama’s Snapchat story to speak on the importance of registering to vote. Outside of her passions in advocacy, Gowri enjoys journalistic writing, some of which has been featured on Teen Vogue and engaging in spoken word poetry. In the future, she is excited to launch a podcast with her team at Survivors Speak Up to amplify survivor voices and break down the taboo surrounding sexual violence. At Carolina, she is interested in studying Political Science and Journalism. Gowri is the daughter of Vyju Narendra and Abhi Puttanna of Weston.

Lara Gastelumendi (Lara) will graduate this spring from the Medical Academy for Science and Technology in Miami, Florida, where she serves as Key Club co-founder and president. Lara is co-founder of Blooming Minds Miami, a mental health destigmatization initiative, and is also a gymnast who coaches with LEAP South Florida, an organization for athletes with physical and developmental disabilities. As a team lead with School Board member Luisa Santos’s Fellowship, Lara assists in writing and researching MDCPS school board policies and helps manage Ms. Santos’s social media presence. She’s also highly involved in her community, having accumulated more than 500 hours of service throughout her high school career. In scientific research, she was named a Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar and a Regeneron ISEF Finalist. Lara plans to pursue majors in public health and biology at Carolina, followed by an MD-PhD to increase global health care equity. Lara is the daughter of Ana Franco and Juan Gastelumendi of Miami.

Alejandro Herrera (Ale) will graduate this spring from Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami, Florida, where he serves as secretary-general of his Model United Nations team and coach of his school’s Special Olympics–affiliated team. As part of MUN, Ale educates club members on parliamentary procedure and pressing political matters addressed in committees while managing logistics for competition trips. Through Special Olympics, Ale expands on his passion for soccer outside his school’s varsity team. He enjoys setting up and carrying out practices for his team of ten adults with intellectual disabilities and raising awareness on his school’s campus. Aside from his interests in fishing and cooking, Ale has also explored the affordable housing crisis in Villavicencio, Colombia, and has looked to make an impact by providing 500 families Christmas gifts through his nonprofit, Joy for Kids. At Carolina, he is interested in studying business. Ale is the son of Lina Baron and Oscar Herrera of Miami.

Amanda B. Jesuca will graduate this spring from Atlantic Community High School in Delray Beach, Florida, where she is an International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate, National Honor Society president, Key Club vice president, Rho Kappa Social Sciences National Honor Society vice president, and the varsity lacrosse captain. During her tenure as National Honor Society president, she expanded an initiative dedicated to collecting school supplies for low-income students and received more than 10,000 donations from students over the school year. She also participated in the Palm Beach County Regional Ethics Bowl, in which her team won first place. As a Barb Schimdt Fellow, Amanda developed a passion for art and activism and plans on completing a mural in a low-income neighborhood in Palm Beach County with members in her cohort. In her spare time, she enjoys writing for her blog Audirius, volunteering, watching movies, and writing her original screenplay. At Carolina, she is interested in pursuing a double major in anthropology and public policy with a minor in philosophy, politics, and economics, with plans to later attend law school. Amanda is the daughter of Yvenet and Flore Jesuca of Boca Raton, Florida.

Flavia Nunez Ludeiro will graduate this spring from School for Advanced Studies (North Campus) in Miami, Florida, where she is student government president and the Poetry Out Loud Grand Champion for the state of Florida. Flavia is a National AP Scholar (2020), recipient of her school’s Harvard Book Award (2021), and a National Merit Scholar (2022). As one of twelve Bezos Scholars in the United States, she strives to improve literacy in her community through her nonprofit project, Bracelets for Books. As project creator, Flavia has sold handmade book quote bracelets to fund little free libraries with more than 900 new children’s book donations for immigrant and under-resourced children. Flavia has spent the last four years organizing annual diaper and toy drives for foster children, leading her town’s Easter event (and sometimes dressing up as its Easter Bunny), and volunteering in her community’s library and retirement home. In her free time, Flavia loves to write—her first novel won an Honorable Mention for Novel Writing from Scholastic Art & Writing, and her poems are printed in student anthologies. At Carolina, she is interested in studying English, economics, and business. Flavia is the daughter of Ileana Ludeiro and Rodolfo Nunez of Miami Lakes, Florida.

Illinois

Snehasri Pothanker (Sri) will graduate this spring from William Fremd High School in Palatine, Illinois, where she is student body president, an executive board member of Model UN, and a lead member in Health Occupations Students of America. As student body president, Sri has focused on creating a more gender-inclusive environment within her school and has reformed her hometown’s social norms around Homecoming. She has participated in a wide variety of athletics at her school, including varsity basketball, volleyball, cross-country, and track and field. Outside of school, Sri loves serving her community through BACKBONES, a nonprofit that fosters community among those with spinal cord injury/disease. Sri successfully launched two Open Mic nights for the organization (now a biannual tradition) and is currently helping organize the Youth Leaders Program. Beyond this, Sri is passionate about using technology for social good, gender equality, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. At Carolina, she is interested in studying computer science on the pre-med track. She is the daughter of Lavanya and Venugopal Pothanker of Palatine.

Indiana

Sawyer William James Husain (Sawyer) will graduate this spring from North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he serves as editor-in-chief of his school’s print and online publications. Sawyer is a Bezos Scholar and captain of the North Central cross-country team and track team, where he was a state champion in 2019. He is also a member of National Grand Championship winning show choir, The Counterpoints. Sawyer sits on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Executive Leadership Team and was the Chair of Development for the Caroline Symmes Children’s Cancer Endowment Board. Sawyer has a passion for fundraising and was nominated for LLS’s student of the year. He has raised over $150,000 for various organizations. At Carolina, he is interested in studying political science and global cinema on a pre-law track. Sawyer is the son of Tanya and Michael Husain of Zionsville, Indiana.

Maanya Rajesh will graduate this spring from Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana. Passionate about climate action, Maanya is the founder of her school’s Green Action Club, which aims to empower community members to be eco-conscious world citizens who understand the immediacy of environmental responsibility. She has led sustainability initiatives, including co-founding the largest high school composting program in the nation, creating environmental education programs for youth, and launching a research initiative to examine the disproportionate impact that climate disasters have on minority communities. Maanya has also been involved with climate legislation at both the city and statewide level; is an active member of her school’s band program, in which she plays the flute; and is a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. At Carolina, she is interested in studying business administration, economics, and environmental studies. Maanya is the daughter of Sowmya Natarajan and Rajesh Venkat of Carmel.

Iowa

Ethan Christopher Gailushas (Ethan) will graduate this spring from George Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he serves as president of the National Honor Society chapter and as valedictorian. Ethan was a lead soloist in the Iowa All-State Jazz Choir this year and a member of the All-State Chorus. He is also an ice hockey goaltender for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the Midwest High School Hockey League. Ethan participates in volunteer work, including tutoring, working with Central Furniture Rescue, and serving as first assistant to the Bishop at his local church. In addition to cooking and teaching kids how to skate, Ethan’s personal interests include writing and performing music. He has three official album releases and hopes to release more in the future. At Carolina, he is interested in studying chemistry and minoring in Japanese. Ethan is the son of Christina and Shane Gailushas of Cedar Rapids.

Kentucky

Fredre’Oni Tristen-Victoria Warner Palacios Terrado (Oni) will graduate this spring from Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics in Morehead, Kentucky, and Central Hardin High School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, where she serves as president of the senior class, secretary of student council, and president of Alpha Phi Omega. She has a love for community service and spearheads various projects, from raising almost $10,000 for childhood cancer research to creating a 5K race and bringing awareness to Alzheimer’s disease. In her spare time, she conducts nitrogen fixation research with Dr. Michael Fultz at Morehead State University and leads the Craft Academy’s Hazel Green Service Project, working to revitalize a town in Eastern Kentucky. Because of her hard work and dedication, she was named 2021 Military Youth of the Year for Fort Knox, the entire state of Kentucky, and the entire Midwest. At Carolina, she is interested in neuroscience with a minor in computer science and public policy. Oni is the daughter of LovieAnn Marie Warner Palacios and Fred Terrado, Jr. of Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Maryland

Charles George Konkolics (Charles) will graduate this spring from St. Paul’s School in Brooklandville, Maryland, where he serves as president of the Honor Council. He also is a senior leader in the Peer Tutoring Program, which supports elementary school students. Charles is a four-year volunteer in Bridges, an enrichment program focused on helping Baltimore City youth achieve long-term success. During COVID-19, Charles teamed up with his employer, Route One Apparel, and Bridges to create custom masks for the students and teachers. Additionally, Charles is a three-year member of the volleyball and baseball teams, where he has earned all-conference honors in both sports. Charles loves to juggle and teaches at a circus camp during the summer. At Carolina, he is interested in studying finance, accounting, and economics. Charles is the son of Tricia Stavros and Charles Konkolics, Jr., of Cockeysville, Maryland.

Matthew Tendai Kweku-kye Owusu (Matthew) will graduate this spring from Poolesville High School in Poolesville, Maryland, where he serves as senior class vice president and a school representative on the county-wide Student-Athlete Leadership Council. Matthew is a member of the Global Ecology program, a student discussions facilitator, and a varsity athlete in three sports (soccer, swim and dive, and track and field). He has played piano for 13 years, taking part in competitions multiple times a year. He also founded and led the first Minority Scholars Program at his local middle school. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biology and plans to go into research. Matthew is the son of Root Teklemariam and Edward Owusu of North Potomac, Maryland.

Minnesota

Isabella Fina Tunney (Isabella) will graduate this spring from St. Paul Academy and Summit School in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she serves as the varsity debate team co-captain and Science Alliance Club co-president. As the first female Eagle Scout to have earned all 137 merit badges offered by the Scouts BSA program, Isabella delivered the congressionally mandated “Report to the Nation” in Washington, D.C., to the President of the United States in the Oval Office, Speaker of the House, Senate Majority Leader, and other government officials. She was then invited to emcee a fundraiser that raised $1.2 million for Scouts BSA and give a TED Talk on resilience, and later published a children’s book in an effort to empower young girls. In addition to volunteering at her church, Isabella led a state-wide pandemic-relief donation drive for a Minneapolis homeless shelter and has rowed for her local club team throughout high school. At Carolina, Isabella is interested in studying business and PPE (philosophy, politics, and economics). Isabella is the daughter of Manuela Fina and Edmund Tunney of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

New York

Trinity Michelle Sanders will graduate this spring from the Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, New York, where she serves as the first Black SFA Senate (student body) president. To exercise their passion for the community, Trinity and Tsisika Bukhala created a nonprofit organization called Project One. Trinity also serves as a CEO/Founder of WISE Enterprise, president of the Youth Council in the NAACP of Schenectady, president of the Town of Clifton Park’s Youth Advisory Council and regional teen nominating chair for the Eastern Region of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. In October 2021, Trinity was featured on the TODAY Show and NBC News, where her aspirations of becoming a United States Senator were addressed, along with the roll out of a new Snapchat tool called Run for Office. At Carolina, she is interested in studying sociology and political science with a minor in African, African-American, and diaspora studies. Trinity is the daughter of Horace Sanders, Jr., of Niskayuna, New York, and Debra Michelle Sanders of Clifton Park, New York.

Puerto Rico

Iman Naz Mukhtar will graduate this spring from Saint John’s School in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Iman is the founder of RAMPA, a free online tutoring service connecting high-achieving high schoolers with students in Puerto Rico’s underfunded public school system. At her school, she serves as student body treasurer and co-captain of the Science Bowl, and is a member of the varsity swim team. Iman is passionate about her work with the Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA), where she currently serves as regional program chair. She is also in the process of memorizing the Quran and enjoys practicing Arabic calligraphy. At Carolina, she is interested in studying neuroscience, public health, and Arabic. Iman is the daughter of Nazli Iqbal and Imran Mukhtar of San Juan.

Tennessee

Catherine Clara Scott (Catherine) will graduate this spring from Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tennessee, where she serves as the captain of the cross-country team, the co-chair of the Relay for Life committee, and dance captain of the Show Choir. She is also a member of the track team and is involved in the school’s theater program as a cast member in the musicals. In her community, she works with various charities, primarily Ainsley’s Angels and the American Cancer Society. Catherine is a passionate activist for anti-racism and LGBTQ+ rights. At Carolina, she is interested in studying public policy and social justice. Catherine is the daughter of Gina and Stephen Scott of Nashville.

Virginia

Anna Cathryn Redding Perry (Anna Cathryn) will graduate this spring from Norfolk Academy in Norfolk, Virginia, where she has served as captain of the varsity girls tennis team, was a combined six-year member of the junior varsity and varsity swim team, a four-year junior varsity and varsity girls lacrosse goalie, a manager of the varsity girls soccer team, and a Global Affairs Fellow (a highly selective multidisciplinary experiential academic leadership program focusing on international relations and indigenous peoples). As a Global Affairs Fellow, Anna Cathryn has been a vocal leader and advocate for various organizations in Peru, participating in fundraisers and educational presentations for Norfolk Academy’s upper school. During the pandemic in 2020, Anna Cathryn founded a camp hosted in her back yard for young girls ages 8 to 12, and the following summer, she served as a junior camp counselor at Fernwood Cove, a summer camp in Maine, where she had spent five summers as a camper. Anna Cathryn is also a member of her church’s student leadership team and an active babysitter. She is extremely passionate about social justice and delivered her senior speech to Norfolk Academy’s upper school on women’s health care equality. At Carolina, she is interested in studying political science and government, as well as global studies. Anna Cathryn is the daughter of Cathryn and J. Christopher Perry of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Washington

Noa Kathleen Roxborough (Noa) will graduate this spring from Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington, where she serves as the co-founder and leader of the Anti-Racist Students group and a leader of Ethics Bowl. She is also an affinity group facilitator at Lakeside Middle School, a member of the administration’s Advisory Council, and a designated senior leader for the 2021–2022 school year. She competes in varsity soccer and track and field for her high school and is a long-distance runner. In 2021, she completed her first marathon and raced in the 200-mile Ragnar Northwest Passage Relay. Noa serves as the youngest member appointed to the board of directors of Teens in Public Service, a nonprofit offering paid internships to and cultivating leadership skills in Seattle teens. She was also a youth ambassador with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Noa has been published by the Globe and Mail (Canada’s national newspaper) and Seventeen Magazine. At Carolina, she is interested in studying philosophy, politics, and economics with a minor in French, with the hope of attending law school and working for the ACLU someday. She is the daughter of Susan Roxborough of Seattle.

Washington, D.C.

Mikaela Azaria Johnson (Mikaela) will graduate this spring from School Without Walls Senior High School in Washington, D.C., where she serves as historian of the National Honor Society. She is the president of the Afrikan Culture Club/Black Student Union at her school. She volunteers at Garfield Elementary School, tutoring children after school. She enjoys playing basketball and flag football and serves as the cheer team manager at her school. At Carolina, she is interested in studying psychology. Mikaela is the daughter of Corinne Crick of Washington, D.C., and Ron Johnson of Ruskin, Florida.

Wisconsin

Donn Rhys Pelayo Mondano (Donn Rhys) will graduate this spring from the University School of Milwaukee (USM) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as a Cum Laude Honors Society inductee. He has served as a leader of the Francophone Culture Club, co-leader of USM’s garden-to-donate effort, and co-leader of the Environmental Action Team. He loves musical theater and has taken on leading roles, most recently as Gomez in his school’s production of The Addams Family. He carves out time to engage in community service through the MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary in Milwaukee as a regular volunteer, as well as leading the fundraising efforts for the shelter’s hydroponics project. He pushes himself physically with daily visits to the gym and actively competes with his school’s track and cross-country teams. In his spare time, Donn Rhys loves to play music with his band of friends and tutors kids in math. At Carolina, he is interested in studying biology with minors in theater/music or business. Donn Rhys is the son of Renee and Donald Mondano of Milwaukee.

International

Canada

Sophia Moloo will graduate this spring from Elmwood School in Ottawa, Ontario, where she serves as head girl. In this role, she enjoyed starting a Sustainable Development Goal Speaker Series and organizing a youth climate conference called the Future Leaders Conference. She is also the co-lead of the HOSA (Future Health Professionals) chapter at her school, an activity that sparked her interest in epidemiology and public health. She was a member of the competitive rowing and cross-country teams. Outside of school, she is an intern at The Catherine Wheel, a management consulting firm for FinTech startups. She was a student at The Knowledge Society, a program focused on emerging technologies in which she explored piezoelectricity and carbon capture. In her free time, Sophia enjoys baking with her sister, reading about donut economics, and playing the clarinet. Passionate about climate, she is interested in studying applied physical sciences at Carolina with the hope of contributing to the development of clean energies. Sophia is the daughter of Nimet and Husein Moloo of Ottawa, Ontario.

Maria Wambui Muiruri (Maria) will graduate this spring from Branksome Hall in Toronto, Ontario, where she serves as student government prefect and co-head of the Black Student Union (BSU). Last year, she initiated a Black student mentorship program to promote cultural knowledge between junior and senior students. She is also captain of FIRST Robotics Team 7712 and a member of the FIRST Canada Youth Council, where she founded and currently leads the DiversityFIRST social media initiative, which highlights STEM contributions from minority groups to an audience of 20,000. On Saturday mornings, she facilitates sports programming for disabled youth at a local community center, promoting values such as self-esteem and grit. Last July, Maria attended Shad Canada, a STEAM and entrepreneurship program, where she worked on a business proposal that used gene-editing technology on bacteria to create a more sustainable method of wastewater treatment. Maria is passionate about STEM, inclusion, and volunteering, and aims to continue “paying it forward” by mentoring aspiring Black female leaders. At Carolina, she is interested in studying information science and history. Maria is the daughter of Sophy Osoro and Mark Muiruri Njoroge of Pickering, Ontario.

Spencer James Gibb Thomson (Spencer) will graduate this spring from St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, Ontario, where he serves as deputy head prefect, head of Community Service Council, and Flavelle company commander in the St. Andrew’s 142 Highland Cadet Corps. He is part of the AP Capstone Program, McEwen Business Leadership Program, and plays on 1^st Volleyball and 1^st Baseball. At Carolina, he is interested in studying economics and environmental science. Spencer is the son of Sara and Trevor Thomson of Aurora.

England

Deborah Misaulany Kargbo (Deborah) will graduate this spring from Uppingham School in Rutland, England, where she serves as head girl. Pursuing her passion for education, she volunteers for the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder Foundation as a national FASD preventer and as the Duke of Edinburgh award ambassador, assisting others in completing their awards. As head girl at Uppingham School, she also leads the school council. In the Uppingham sports world, Deborah takes part in multiple sports. She is the victrix ludorum of athletics and the varsity netball vice captain. She has played at a national level in hockey and athletics with her school team, and she loves representing Leicestershire in rugby. She is a keen writer who has had her writing abilities recognized with a Gold Pen awarded from the headmaster, the Josh Brearley Prize, and the Academic Archdeacon Johnson Prize. At Carolina, she hopes to study biology and creative writing. Deborah is the daughter of Isatu and Alfred Kargbo of Leicester, England.

Finley John Sansom (Finn) graduated in spring 2021 from Shrewsbury School in Shrewsbury, England, where he served as head of school and captain of the first 11 soccer team for two years. Finn has spent his gap year working at his local hospital as a general porter and volunteering within his local community, and is planning to travel around South America. While at Shrewsbury, Finn led a mental health initiative with the aim of raising awareness about the stigma associated with mental health. Following the cardiac arrest of a good friend, he successfully lobbied the school for a basic life-saving course. He has represented his national ISFA soccer side against the likes of Australia and Scotland and is interested in playing soccer at UNC. At Carolina, he is interested in studying philosophy and global studies with the aim of pursuing humanitarian work in the future. Finn is the son of Rachel and Hugh Sansom of Shrewsbury.

Kyran Kyle Taylor (Kyran) will graduate this spring from Barnhill Community High School in Hayes, London, where he is currently head boy. Within his school, Kyran has constructed a mentoring scheme for younger students and currently represents the student body for Middlesex partnership events. Outside of the classroom, Kyran flourishes in the performing arts. He is an aspiring actor who starred in the Mercury-nominated short film Kano Trouble. He has also been dancing since the age of eight and has performed at various renowned locations, such as the London 02 Arena and the London Barbican. At Carolina, he is interested in studying chemistry and theater. Kyran is the son of Christina Naraiah Taylor of Uxbridge, London, England, and the grandson of Stella Lade Taylor of Clapham Common, South London, England.

India

Akshat Kaushik will graduate this spring from the Greenwood High International School in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. At Greenwood High, Akshat is the acting president of the school’s economics club and serves on the student council as the Ruby House captain. He is also a member of the school’s varsity basketball team and represented the state of Karnataka in the Junior NBA tournament. Outside of school, Akshat is the founder and CEO of one of India’s first sneaker marketplaces, known as Deadstock Drip, that now has more than 30,000 followers on Instagram. Akshat also explores his passion for sneakers through his work as a published and nationally recognized author for his informative personal finance book, Sneakers: From your Feet to Wall Street. In his local community, Akshat provides other teenagers with the tools to become financially independent through his volunteer work at English-medium schools and also volunteers at Mission Seva, a nonprofit organization that teaches neurodiverse young adults valuable skills using art therapy techniques. At Carolina, he is interested in studying business with a concentration in finance at the Kenan-Flagler Business School. Akshat is the son of Shweta and Akhil Kaushik of Ajmer, Rajasthan, India.

South Sudan

Ajier Margaret Magot Awan (Ajier), from Jonglei State, South Sudan, will graduate this spring from African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa. At the Academy, Ajier serves as the volleyball captain and as a member of Agrinnovation, a student enterprise that grows tomatoes, spinach, spring onions, and chili peppers for the campus. She also worked to develop The Light of Hope, a project that aims to transform the lives of street children in her home country. At Carolina, Ajier is interested in studying health policy and management, with a hope of one day shaping policies in the South Sudan health system. Ajier is the daughter of Awal Mayol and Ayii Awan of Jonglei State.

Vietnam

Hoai Le Ha (Le) will graduate this spring from St. Paul American School in Hanoi, Vietnam, where she is the student body president, chief editor of The Courier newspaper, and student director of the competitive EAGLES Guitar ensemble. Beyond her work at school, she is the co-founder and executive director of The Anthurium Project, a youth organization producing content and events advocating feminism. She also serves as the head of sales at SANSE, where she leads product development and sales for sustainable tea and scholarships in the ethnic minority commune of Ban Lien, Vietnam. At Carolina, she is excited to dive into social entrepreneurship as well as women’s and gender studies. Le is the daughter of Ha Pham and Huong Ha of Hanoi.