FORTY-FOUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SENIORS NAMED COLLEGE‑ SPONSORED NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Forty-four Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) seniors have been named 2026 College‑Sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners, earning national recognition for their academic achievement and future promise, according to an announcement by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®).
Selected from a nationwide pool of high-achieving students, National Merit Scholars represent the top tier of graduating seniors across the country. The selection process includes outstanding academic records, high scores on the PSAT/NMSQT, strong SAT or ACT performance, extracurricular involvement, and a rigorous application review.
National Merit Scholarships are awarded by the NMSC® and sponsoring colleges and universities, providing financial support for undergraduate study while recognizing exceptional academic achievement. The college-sponsored recipients announced today are part of approximately 6,700 students nationwide who will receive National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million.
“We are incredibly proud of our students for earning this well-deserved national recognition,” said Superintendent Van Ayres. “Their success reflects not only their hard work and determination, but also the strength of the rigorous academic programs across Hillsborough County Public Schools. These programs are designed to challenge students, expand opportunities, and prepare them for success in college, careers, and life.”
The HCPS 2026 College-Sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners from the Plant City area are:
Strawberry Crest High School
Anu Badiger
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Ayona Bagui
National Merit Emory
University Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Sneha Balaji
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Economics
Varun M. Gajjar
National Merit University of
South Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Gaurav Jain
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field:
Computer Engineering
Mahee Gupta
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Priyanshu Jha
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field:
Aerospace Engineering
Hyunmin S. Kim
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field:
Information Technology
Andrew M. Oh
National Merit Washington and
Lee University Scholarship
Probable career field: Law
Sayali S. Padhye
National Merit University of
South Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Biomedicine
Radha Panchal
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Psychology
Adwaith Praveen
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Shruti R. Shankar
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Ecology
Bhavya H. Talati
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Finance
Sahasra Vedhere
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Law
Alexander Y. Wang
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Sujay Rajesh
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Arun Prem Gottipati
National Merit University of
South Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Ashank K. Saravanan
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Investment Banking
Eesha L. Venkatesh
National Merit University of
Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
This year, 138 higher education institutions are sponsoring Merit Scholarship awards through the National Merit Scholarship Program, including 69 private and 69 public colleges and universities in 42 states and the District of Columbia.
Hillsborough County Libraries Launch Summer Reading Challenge to Keep Young Readers a Chapter Ahead
Hillsborough County Library Services is inviting residents of all ages to turn the page on summer boredom and join the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, which began June 1.
The free annual program encourages children, teens, and adults to keep reading throughout the summer while earning prizes including tote bags, stickers, enamel pins, bookmarks, books, journals, digital badges, and opportunities to win larger giveaways including ZooTampa tickets, AirPods Pro, a Nintendo Switch Lite, Echo Show devices, and more.
All grand prize drawings will take place Aug. 1, and winners will have until Aug. 31, 2026, to claim prizes.
Maintaining Literacy Skills While School’s Out
Research shows summer reading programs play an important role in helping students maintain literacy skills when school isn’t in session.
• Students can lose up to 20 percent of school-year gains in reading during summer break.
• Nine in 10 teachers report spending at least three weeks re-teaching material at the beginning of the school year because of summer learning loss.
• Two-thirds of the income-based achievement gap in reading can be attributed to summer learning loss by the start of high school.
Source: National Association of Summer Learning
Programs like the Summer Reading Challenge help combat “summer slide” by keeping young readers engaged, building vocabulary, strengthening comprehension skills, and encouraging lifelong reading habits.
How to Sign Up
Registration for the Summer Reading Challenge is now open. To sign up, you must create a Beanstack login and password by visiting Hillsborough County Library Services’ Summer Reading tab, and clicking on the “Register Now” button. Beanstack is a free application Library Services uses to track users’ reading. Participants can begin logging reading on June 1, with the challenge running through July 31.
Reading Goals
• Kids (ages 0 – 12) – submit each hour read for a total of 24 hours.
• Teens (ages 13 – 18) – submit each hour read for a total of 24 hours.
• Adults (ages 18+) – submit each book read for a total of 4 books.
Community Partnerships
The challenge includes special community partnerships with the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club, Tampa Bay Rowdies, and Reading with the Rays.
Through the “Score Through Stories” partnership with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, participants can complete a special game card for chances to win additional Rowdies-themed prizes.
Youth participants also can join “Reading with the Rays” by picking up a game card at their local library branch and earning baseball-themed rewards throughout the summer.
In addition to the reading challenge, Hillsborough County libraries offer free access year-round to eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, online learning tools, and educational resources designed to support literacy and learning for all ages.
