Record 11 BHS Seniors Named National Merit Finalists

BEACHWOOD, OH – A school record 11 seniors from Beachwood High School have been named National Merit Finalists, which is one of the nation’s most prestigious academic honors. The program, run through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, recognizes the top high school scholars across the country.

The BHS seniors earning Finalist status are Dotan Dana, Charlotte Doughty, Karina Krishnan, Leo Kuenzler, Jiahe Liu, Shamith Murthy, Aliaksei Sharakou, Anna Tonyushkin, Junbo Wang, Leo Wang, and Tony Zheng.

They are among the approximately 15,000 high school students nationwide who have been named Finalists in the 2026 program.

As Finalists, these students now advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, with approximately 7,500 students nationwide expected to be named National Merit Scholars this spring. Scholarship recipients will be announced between March and mid-June. 

“We are incredibly proud of our 11 seniors who have been selected as National Merit Finalists,” BHS principal Paul Chase said. “This distinction reflects not only their exceptional academic accomplishment, but also their dedication and commitment to excellence. We wish them continued success as they move forward in the program.”