Ten Wylie High School seniors earned National Merit Semifinalist status, the most in a single year in Wylie ISD history.

The semifinalists are Aarav Barnawal, Aru Jaiswal, Avi Jaiswal, Naila Jangda and Chloe Lee. Nathan Mathew, Sohum Mishra, Obaid Mohammed, Mohammed Sulaiman and Mohammad Syed round out the group. Semifinalist status places each student in roughly the top 1% of the nation's college-bound juniors, based on PSAT/NMSQT scores from their junior year, according to a Wylie ISD announcement.

All 10 attend Wylie High.

They are among more than 16,000 semifinalists nationwide competing for approximately 6,930 scholarships worth nearly $26 million. About 95% of semifinalists are expected to advance to Finalist status. To do so, students must meet additional requirements including a confirmed PSAT score, qualifying SAT scores and a completed application. Finalist designations are expected in February 2027, with scholarship winners announced in stages from April through July 2027.

The National Merit milestone follows other district-wide recognition this year. Wylie ISD earned an overall "A" from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) with a score of 92 for 2026, based on student performance during the 2025-26 school year, according to the district's Aug. 14 announcement. The district has held an "A" every year since Texas began issuing letter grades in 2018. Of 21 rated campuses, 19 earned an "A." The remaining two scored 89 and 88.

"We are incredibly proud to once again be an A-rated district, and I hope we never forget what that 'A' really represents … It represents thousands of people showing up every day and doing their jobs with excellence," Superintendent Kim Spicer said in the Aug. 14 announcement.

The district also earned a 2026 CTE District of Distinction designation from the Career and Technical Association of Texas (CTAT), as reported by the Wylie Times. CTAT evaluates districts on leadership structures, program alignment with industry demand, instruction quality and student outcomes. Wylie High's Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings span engineering, culinary arts, education and training, a student-run business called Purple Dog Company and a certified nursing assistant program.

Two new campuses also opened this fall on Kreymer Lane: Hampton Intermediate and Richard Parker Junior High, according to the Wylie Times.