The Highland Park ISD board of trustees recognized the district’s National Merit Semifinalists, outstanding high school musicians, and campus leaders during its Oct. 21 meeting.
The district honored 18 seniors who were named Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program earlier this fall. National Merit Semifinalists represent fewer than 1% of the country’s high school seniors. They are selected based on their scores on the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
Highland Park ISD’s 2026 National Merit Semifinalists are:

- Isabel Arnold
- Boone Bonfield
- Allison Boynton
- Whitney Gross
- Spencer Haag
- Tiffany Hsu
- Camille Huckaby
- Jordan Laurie
- Bradley Liang
- Rajan Luthra
- Mateo Meade
- Jacob Neilson
- Morgan Owen
- Rebecca Stanwood
- Allison Vandermosten
- Jason Zhang
- Ziling Zhou
- Henry Zhu
The district recognized high school musicians who earned Division I ratings at the Texas UIL State Solo and Ensemble Contest this summer.
The recognized students were:

- Ian Hyde
- Ryaan Khan
- Nicholas Garretson
- Will Forsberg
- Caroline Ethridge
- Jaron Pierce
- Luka Anderson
- Caroline Davidson
- Camille Huckaby
- Nick Kinder
- Will Lawrence
- Harrison Piering
The district also thanked its principals for their work. October is principal appreciation month.
“Each of these leaders brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Highland Park ISD,” deputy superintendent Shorr Heathcote said. “Not only do they ensure that our campuses are running smoothly each day, they also create spaces where students can learn and thrive.”