Meet the National Merit Finalist at Great Hearts Forest Heights

Dharshan Vijayakumar, a senior at Great Hearts Forest Heights in San Antonio, Texas, has been named a National Merit Finalist. This high-achieving senior earned a high score on the PSAT and met other program requirements, placing him among approximately 15,000 of the most academically promising students in the nation.

Vijayakumar is part of the very first senior class at Great Hearts Forest Heights and his family is a founding family at the academy. He started as a sixth grader the year the school opened in 2019. He has also been chosen as the valedictorian for his graduating class during their inaugural commencement ceremony.

“As I head to Texas A&M this fall to study computer engineering, I’ve been reflecting on my years at Great Hearts,” he shared. “Great Hearts taught me so much more than just academics; it taught me habits that will last a lifetime. While I’m ready for the challenges of engineering, I will always cherish the incredible friendships and memories that made my time here so special.”

Acting has been a big part of his high school experience. He was one of the leads in the nineth grade play Much Ado about Nothing and continued to have important acting roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and in An Ideal Husband his senior year. He has also played varsity soccer and ran varsity cross country.

Andrew Riley, his 10^th and 12^th Grade Humane Letters teacher, thinks Vijayakumar is a model Great Hearts scholar. “A humble bridge-builder, Dharshan pursues Truth, Goodness, Beauty, and virtue in all his endeavors and accomplishments. He is a rare mix of humility, intellectual brilliance, friendship, and diplomacy.”

“Dharshan really reflects the kind of student Great Hearts hopes to develop,” explained College Counselor Sean Anderson. “He’s genuinely kind and thoughtful, and people naturally look to him as a trusted leader in the community. He puts care and effort into his work, approaching each assignment with determination and integrity, much like he does in other areas of his life. With big goals and a strong commitment to growing, Dharshan is well prepared to keep pursuing excellence beyond his time at Forest Heights.”

Earning recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Program is a significant achievement and reflects not only academic excellence but also perseverance and character. This honor represents years of disciplined study and a deep commitment to scholarship.

As part of the first graduating senior class, he is helping to set a powerful standard for excellence at Great Hearts Forest Heights. Please join us in congratulating this remarkable student on his well-deserved success.

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