12 students named Top Scholar

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After facing a solar eclipse, hurricane and pandemic, the Class of 2021 will graduate with 12 students named “Top Scholar.” (Graphic/Kayla Rubenstein)

For the first time in Heritage history, there will be no valedictorian or salutatorian. Instead, 12 seniors with the highest GPAs have earned the title of Top Scholar. In the top 3% of their class, these students will lead the graduation processional, sitting in the front seats and receiving their diplomas first at graduation. 

Upper School principal Mrs. Elise Blum emailed these students and their parents April 1. “It is an amazing honor and achievement and a testament to not only your ability, but also to your hard work and dedication to your studies,” she said in the letter. 

Senior Jonah Jacobs, a Top Scholar, will attend Duke University next year. “It feels great to be recognized as a Top Scholar. Even with the tough school year we have experienced, it is nice to now see how my hard work has paid off,” he said. 

Senior Rishi Patel, who will attend Boston University next year, also earned a spot on this list. “It feels pretty awesome to be a Top Scholar. I definitely wasn’t expecting this at all, so finding out that I was one of the top students was super exciting and made all the hard work over the last four years really feel worthwhile,” he said. 

After having potential speakers from the Top Scholar list audition, administration nominated senior William Chan to give the Top Scholar Speech at graduation.

Listed alphabetically, here are the top 3% of the Class of 2021:

Jae Young Beck

William Chan

Montserrat de Allende Silva

Alexander Divoux

Vasisht Ganesh

Sena Ghobadi 

Muchen Guo

Jonah Jacobs

Gauri Kasarla

Iris Lang

Albert Lu

Rishi Patel

As a senior, Kayla Rubenstein spends her fourth (and heartbreakingly final) year on staff as Online Editor-in-Chief, Business Manager and Social Media Correspondent. Wanting to make the most of her senior year, Kayla serves as the President of Quill and Scroll, Historian of Rho Kappa and Co-Historian of NHS, while also actively participating in EHS and SNHS. Outside of school, Kayla contributes to Mensa’s publications and volunteers with different organizations within her community. An avid reader, Kayla can often be found with her nose in a book when not working on an article for The Patriot Post or developing a project for iPatriot Post.