26 Local Students Named Presidential Scholar Candidates - American Heritage Schools Is The No. 1 School In Florida For Highest Number Of Candidates

American Heritage Schools celebrates the remarkable achievements of these students and their dedication to excellence. American Heritage Schools is #1 in Florida for the highest number of U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates. American Heritage Schools is the #3 private schools in the nation with the most Presidential Scholar candidates. The two campuses of American Heritage Schools account for 13% of all Presidential Scholar candidates in the state of Florida.

“Earning a spot as a Presidential Scholar candidate is a remarkable achievement that speaks to the consistent academic rigor and character of our students. We are proud to see the Class of 2026 uphold our tradition of excellence, proving once again that our graduates are prepared to lead at the highest national levels,” said Dr. Doug Laurie, President of American Heritage Schools.”

Established in 1964 by Executive Order of the President, this program recognizes students for outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, and commitment to service. Each year, approximately 500 students are selected as semifinalists from across the country. From this group, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars will select 161 exceptional students to receive the U.S. Presidential Scholar Medallion, the highest scholastic honor awarded by the U.S. Government.

Scholars are chosen based on their academic records, essays, school evaluations, community service, and leadership. Those selected will be invited to Washington, D.C., in June for a national recognition program, which includes a series of events and the official medallion presentation during a White House-sponsored ceremony.

The students from American Heritage Schools who have been named 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars Candidates are:

Broward Campus:

Aaron Alter, Parkland

Daniel Cai, Weston

Zayn Charania, Weston

Lindsey Cheng, Coral Springs

Samuel Danzig, Davie

Ishika Gadani, Parkland

Anisha Garg, Miramar

Alexey Guydouk, Plantation

Kaitlyn Lee, Sunrise

Yechang Liu, Weston

Rishitha Marri, Weston

Kelsey Montgomery, Plantation

Henry Nathanson, Plantation

Darsh Patel, Parkland

Elizabeth Xiao, Weston

Palm Beach Campus:

Kersh Besharat, Palm Beach Gardens

Omar Dahabra, Boca Raton

Ziping Dai, Delray Beach

Siyuan Du, Boca Raton

Joseph Levenston, Boca Raton

Michael Mikati, Palm Beach Gardens

Ryan Rohit, Delray Beach

Sonya Singh, Delray Beach

Daniela Staton, Delray Beach

Rishan Thangaraj, Wellington

Cole Zuckerman, Boynton Beach

For more information about the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program and American Heritage Schools, please visit: https://www.ahschool.com/presidential-scholars.

About American Heritage Schools:

American Heritage Schools is a college-preparatory day school for students in PK3-12th grades, known for academic excellence and top rankings across multiple disciplines. With two 40-acre campuses, one in Broward County and another in Palm Beach County, American Heritage Schools provides a diverse and inclusive environment for almost 5,000 students from more than 100 countries. Dr. Douglas Laurie, a distinguished educator and visionary leader, is the President and Co-Owner of American Heritage Schools. American Heritage Schools is nationally and internationally accredited by the following associations: Association of Independent Schools of Florida (AISF), Middle States Association (MSA-CESS), and National Council for Private Schools, among others. The Lower School includes advanced classes and 15 electives, and the Upper School offers over 300 courses with 145 honors classes, 31 Advanced Placement classes, and 130 fine arts classes. Pre-professional programs are offered in pre-med, pre-law, pre-engineering, biomedical engineering, business & entrepreneurship, and computer science with classes taught daily by doctors, surgeons, lawyers, judges, engineers, and computer scientists currently practicing in their fields. American Heritage Schools was named No. 1 Private K-12 School in Florida and No. 1 College Prep Private High School in Florida, according to Niche.com, ranks as the No. 1 high school in Florida for the highest number of National Merit Scholars for 16 years, and the No. 1 school in Florida for the most Presidential Scholars. The Math Competition team is No. 1 out of all private schools in the nation, Model UN team is top 3 in the nation, and the Speech and Debate team is in the top 1% in the nation. In their recent "Book of Lists" rankings, South Florida Business Journal (SFBJ) recognized American Heritage Schools as No. 15 in Corporate Philanthropy in South Florida and No. 21 Largest Employer in South Florida.

For more information about American Heritage Schools, visit its website at: www.ahschool.com