Meade High School senior Eric Zhao, who scored a 2,370 on his Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) out of a possible 2,400, has added several more scholarships to his growing and impressive list of honors.
Zhao, who will attend Princeton University in the fall, was awarded $156,000 in grants and scholarships from that Ivy League school, in addition to the Dr. Edward J. Anderson Scholarship ($8,000), Herff Jones “Believe in You” Scholarship ($5,000), plus several smaller ones, in addition to the Coca-Cola and National Merit scholarships announced earlier this year.
The Herff Jones Scholarship honors 50 students across the United States. Eric placed in the top three.
“Eric is a hard worker and gives his very best in all of his undertakings,” said Meade High School counselor Tiffany Spalding. “He is dedicated to his family, academics, sports, clubs, volunteer activities and his music. Eric is a solid leader, and the students and staff easily follow his lead. He is determined, talented, and passionate.”
His scholarship winnings began last year, when he was named a Carson Scholar. This year, Eric has earned more than $200,000 in private and national scholarships, including:
- Carson Scholarship, $1,000
- Robert H. Turner Key (Key Club) Scholarship, $2,000
- Comcast Leaders & Achievers Scholarship, $1,000
- David W. Tomaszewski Scholarship (a local scholarship for Meade HS students), $1,000