Six Montgomery County Public Schools students have been named semifinalists in the prestigious 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, accounting for nearly half of Maryland’s public school semifinalists this year.
The Maryland State Department of Education announced that 13 Maryland public high school students from five school systems earned semifinalist status in the nationally recognized program, which honors some of the nation’s most accomplished graduating seniors.
Among the Montgomery County Public Schools students selected as semifinalists are:
• Mayme Rose Killeen, Walt Whitman High School
• Anya Frances Kleinman, Richard Montgomery High School
• Cooper Liu Li, Montgomery Blair High School
• Grace E. Li, Richard Montgomery High School
• Sherry Lin, Richard Montgomery High School
• Aditya Purohit, Richard Montgomery High School
Richard Montgomery High School accounted for four of the county’s six semifinalists.
Established in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program recognizes distinguished graduating seniors from across the country for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, career and technical education (CTE), leadership, and service to their schools and communities. Up to 161 students nationwide will ultimately be selected as U.S. Presidential Scholars by the U.S. Department of Education.
State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey M. Wright praised the students for earning national recognition. “We are unbelievably proud by the national recognition for our students’ academic, artistic and career and technical education accomplishments,” Wright said. “These students are among the best and the brightest and we wish them well during the final round of the selection process.”
In total, 14 Maryland public and private school students were named among the 627 semifinalists nationwide. The group also includes Joseph Michael Doherty of Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda, making Montgomery County home to seven of Maryland’s 14 semifinalists overall.
The semifinalists will now advance in the selection process as the U.S. Department of Education prepares to announce the final group of Presidential Scholars later this year.
