15 Westport Students Named 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidates

WESTPORT, CT — Fifteen students from Westport have been selected as candidates for the 2025 United States Presidential Scholars Program, according to the White House Commission of Presidential Scholars.

The students, like thousands of others from around the country, are being recognized for broad academic achievement and having scored exceptionally well on the SAT or ACT.

Below is the list of Westport students who were named candidates for the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program:

• Kendra Cheng, Westport - Staples High School
• Julia Dimiceli, Westport - Hopkins School
• Maria A. Fotin, Westport - Phillips Exeter Academy
• Matthew D. Guadarrama, Westport - Staples High School
• Mac K. Haymond, Westport - Staples High School
• Madeline P. Hendley, Westport - Staples High School
• Anna Ji, Westport - Staples High School
• Rose L. Kauppinen, Westport - Staples High School
• Sean D. Kelly, Westport - Hopkins School
• Alexis B. Krenzer, Westport - Staples High School
• Abraham E. Lobsenz, Westport - Staples High School
• Deniz E. Nalbantoglu, Westport - Greens Farms Academy
• Serra Nalbantoglu, Westport - Greens Farms Academy
• Cole R. Siegner, Westport - Staples High School
• Grace Zhang, Westport - Staples High School

Through an Executive Order of the President in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was created to recognize and honor some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. It is one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students.

In 1979, the program was extended to also recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts.

Each year, up to 161 students are named, from a pool of about 4,000 of candidates, as presidential scholars.