#1 in Palm Beach County for the Most U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidates
11 Candidates Announced in the Class of 2026
American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, is proud to celebrate 11 exceptional seniors from the Class of 2026 who have earned spots as candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. As one of the most elite academic honors in the country, this program recognizes high school students who lead their peers in academics, the arts, and community service.
This achievement reinforces our long-standing tradition of academic excellence and contributes to the record-breaking number of U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates at American Heritage Schools. Among nearly 3.6 million graduating seniors nationwide, these American Heritage students have distinguished themselves as exceptional scholars.
Heritage has given me a rigorous environment to thrive in, but it's also super supportive with all the teachers and faculty and fellow peers who have pushed me to succeed.
Daniela Staton2026 Presidential Scholar Candidate - American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus
The curriculum at American Heritage goes beyond textbooks to prepare students for top-tier universities and future careers. Whether it is through our nationally ranked math teams or our pre-professional tracks, students gain the skills they need to lead.
Joseph Levenston, a Stanford University-bound scholar and National Merit Semifinalist, highlights the impact of the school’s specialized programs. "The type of people I have met, and the type of experiences I have had [in math competition] have really pushed me to want to pursue math in my career."
Similarly, Omar Dahabra, who is headed to the University of California, Berkeley, as a National Merit Semifinalist, speaks to the practical advantages of the school’s curriculum: “Being involved with the pre-law program has developed my interest in going into law in the future, but also the implications for that, in which I've learned and developed a lot of my writing skills and things that will be really applicable to the future."
Class of 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidates
- Kersh Besharat
- Omar Dahabra
- Ziping Dai
- Siyuan Du
- Joseph Levenston
- Michael Mikati
- Ryan Rohit
- Sonya Singh
- Daniela Staton
- Rishan Thangaraj
- Cole Zuckerman
About the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
Founded in 1964 by Executive Order, this program honors the most distinguished high school seniors in the nation. While it began by recognizing academic success, it grew in 1979 to include the visual and performing arts, and again in 2015 to include career and technical education.
Being named a candidate is proof of a student's dedication and the high-level educational environment at Heritage. Congratulations to the 2026 Presidential Scholar candidates on this remarkable achievement! We wish them the best of luck as they continue to pave the way for future success.
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