Almost 200 students are recipients of the new 2023 Ruth and Norman Rales-Patricia Baier O’Neill Scholarship for academic excellence. The 194 students earned at least a 4.69 grade point average, are from low- and moderate-income families and represent 25 Montgomery County Public high schools.
They each will receive $10,000.
Last September, the Rales Foundation announced a $10 million, five-year commitment to the MCPS Educational Foundation, the largest donation ever to the Foundation, to provide up to 200 $10,000 scholarships per year
The donation was made to honor the lives and contributions of Ruth and Norman Rales and Patricia Baier O’Neill, who died in September 2021.
“Our parents, Norman and Ruth, believed deeply in the power of education, and we are proud to recognize the hard work and achievements of these exceptional young people, carrying forward our parents’ values in the community where we grew up,” said Joshua Rales, President and Trustee of the Rales Foundation, who spoke on behalf of himself and brothers, Steven and Mitchell.
“It is a further privilege to honor the legacy of Pat O’Neill, a tireless champion of educational opportunity in Montgomery County, with this inaugural Rales-O’Neill class. We hope this scholarship will play a small role in inspiring and supporting these students as they pursue their goals and aspirations in the next chapter of their academic journey,” Rales said in a news release
Superintendent Monifa McKnight expressed her appreciation. “What an extraordinary commitment the Rales Foundation has made to an awe-inspiring group of young people, who will go on to do amazing things in this world,” she said. “Thank you for this beautiful way to honor our students, and to carry on the legacies of your parents and our beloved Mrs. O’Neill.”
Rick O’Neill said in the news release that his wife “would be pleased and honored to be part of this scholarship program and so proud, as are we, of each of the exceptional students awarded a scholarship.”
He added, “Pat devoted her professional career to all of the students of MCPS and was thrilled to have the opportunity to do so. Our family is so appreciative of those at the Rales Foundation, MCPS and the MCPS Educational Foundation who have dedicated so much time and effort to implement this very special scholarship program.
The winners, who will be honored during a celebration at the Music Center at Strathmore April 19, and their career interests are:
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
- Obse Abebe, Foreign Correspondent (Diplomat)
- Zoe Edwards, Mathematics, Teaching, Engineering
- Deniz Gunes, Environmental Science and Business (Marketing)
- Ting Ting Li, Biomedical Engineering/ Programming
- Wambui Ngugi, Biomedical Engineering/Neural Science/Applied Physics
- Rachel Pastreich, International Relations
Montgomery Blair High School
- Phoenix Bryant, Genetics/Medicine
- Nathan Cho, Professor of Mathematics
- Jessica De Alwis, Clinical Psychology
- Ryan Dong, Computer Science
- Abel Eshetu, Mechanical Engineering
- Abigail Guevara, Actuarial Science
- Eileen Luo, Computer Science/Psychology
- Daniel Mehari, Neurology/Neurosurgery/Neuroscience
- Zahra Siddique, Dermatology
- Sophia Stein, Public Policy/Communications/Environmental Advocacy
James Hubert Blake High School
- Selikem Agbo, Entrepreneurship/Biology/Neuroscience/Forensics
- Isabelle Poggy, Civil Engineering
- Leah Thompson, Industrial-Organizational Psychology
- Danhong Wei, Computer Developer
- Jamie Zhang, Business/International Relations/East Asian Studies
Clarksburg High School
- Norah D’Cruze, Journalism (United States Ambassador/United Nations Correspondent)
- Kamari Jennings, Pharmacy
- Pranab Jha, Civil/Environmental Engineering
- Nishkam Khanna, Computer Science
Damascus High School
- Anna Baisden, Medicine (Physician)
- Oana Djibom, Public Health
- Camilla Galeano, Computer Science
- Ainsley Green, Undecided
- Joshua Huang, Computer Science
- Adriel John, Computer Science Engineering
- Akila Manage, Medicine (Medical Examiner), Forensic Pathology, Oncology
- Josiah Lim, Software Engineering
Albert Einstein High School
- Karla Castro Moreno, Computer Science/Data Science
- Zoe Fagnani, Sustainable Agriculture/Natural Resource Conservation
- Julia Fay, Sports Medicine/Physical Therapy
- Daniela Guevara, Biology/Computer Science/Latin American Studies
- Samantha Linares, Political Science (Politician)
- Langston Muller, Screenwriting/Playwriting
- Yuma Rudie, Motorsport Engineering
Gaithersburg High School
- Rachel Robin David, Pediatrics
- Chelsea Reyes, Medicine (Physician Assistant/Physician/Physical Therapist)
- Lana Marie Valdez, Dermatology
- Ivan Van, Computer Programming/Computer Science
John F. Kennedy High School
- Hiwot Ayalew, Cardiothoracic Surgeon
- Col. Zadok Magruder High School
- Pearl Chinasa, Arts and Sociology
- Nena Rodriguez, Civil Engineer
- Mateo Sevilla, Medical Doctor
Richard Montgomery High School
- Juliette Bolte, Civil or Architectural Engineering
- Basmah Elradi, Computational Neuroscience
- Eddie Fang, Computer Engineer/Quantitative Analysis
- Alexander Gao, Statistics
- Finna Hsu, Public Policy/International Affairs/English
- Paola Rojas, Medical Doctor (Dermatologist)
- Ruth Taddesse, Computational Neuroscience/Computer Science/Neuroscience
- Helina Tamiru, Law
- Alexis Tungcod, Computer Science
- Avery Wang, Journalism or Psychology
- Justin Wang, Business and Information Science
- Tong Zhan, Computer Science
Northwest High School
- Paul Akiyama, Cybersecurity
- Chase Corpuz, Business
- Justin Kim, Computer Science/Biology
- Jennifer Vo, Business/Architecture/Marketing/Design
- Iris Wu, Forensic Biology
Northwood High School
- Kidest Bermolo, Law
- Shaiel Godoy, Nursing
- Kiera Norris, Sociology/History
- Alphael Wobil-Blankson, Nurse Practitioner
- Ana Andrade Zaval, Physician
Paint Branch High School
- Michael Abakah, Surgeon-Scientist
- Julian Abiey, Healthcare/Reform
- Dalia Bader, Computer Engineering
- Tiffany Barkmeyer, Global Marketing
- Williama Carver, Medicine/Real Estate/Economics
- Rakeb Dereje, Marketing Manager
- Isaah Douglas, Computer Hardware Engineer
- Jacklynn Ho, Media Marketing
- Nicole Kyei-Asare, Computer Science
- Anna Lin, Computer Science, Design
- Alice Maeng, Nurse Practitioner
- Jose Martinez Lopez, Mechanical Engineering
- Kimmie Nguyen, Cosmetics or Dermatology
- Mawunyo Tchamdja, Computer Science
- Vincent Tran, Mechanical Engineering
Poolesville High School
- Jeffrey Deng, Software Engineer
- Oluwatoni Famuyide, Neurosurgery
- Jamie Flynn, Ecology/Biology/Environmental Science/Public Policy
- Ida Garmroudi, Public Health Researcher
- Esther Hong, Business
- Gina Im, Civil/Environmental Engineer
- Justin Li, Computer Science
- Carlos Mendoza, Biomedical Engineer
- Deepak Menon, Biology/Biochemistry/Bioinformatics/Computer Science
- Anya Olson, Government/Environmental Science/Education
- Maggie Rose Rook, Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Leah Sorell, Marine Biology/Research
- Victor Thaxton, Meteorology/Atmospheric Science
- Miguel Ventura, Computer Science/Software Programming
- Emmanuel Yang, Anesthesiologist
Quince Orchard High School
- Hanieh Hootkany, Bioengineering
- Shiqi Wu, Software Engineer
- Stephen Wu, Software Engineer
- Amorie Zsako, Computer Science
Rockville High School
- Abigail Dulay, Mechanical Engineer/Mathematics
- Carter Fensterstock, Jazz Musician
- Raymond La, Mechanical Engineer
- Roberto Suarez, Film/Media/Computer Science
- Shelly Tu, Electrical Engineering
Seneca Valley High School
- Iman Alizahi, Mechanical Engineering
- Angelina Araj, Dentistry
- Victoria Beltran Jimenez, Medical Doctor/Nurse
- Benjamin Chamberlin, Professional Golf/Golf-Related Business
- San Cho, Consumer Studies/Advertising/Graphic Design and Illustration
- Sena Forson, Obstetrics/Psychiatry
- Kiarra Hoes, Physician Assistant
- Nelema Jaman, Biology
- Juliana Nguyen, Web Design
Sherwood High School
- Ethan Bergner, Business
- Sophia Bernhard, Mechanical Engineering
- Elizabeth Furgione, Environmental Science
- Ethan Furgione, Mechanical Engineering
- Solaiman Hassanin, Engineering, Psychology
- Anna Kirnosova, Nursing/Medicine/Health Science
- Archer Romelli, Software Engineer (Computer Science)
- Alexis Stonebanks, Dermatologist
- Nebeyu Tsigea, Computer Science
Springbrook High School
- Ian Bayaca, Computer Science/Engineering/Air Force Officer
- Samuel Birru, College Professor
- Britny Contrera Garcia, Mathematics/Engineering
- Somtochukwu Ibekwe, Pediatrics
- Yasin Ibrahim, Software Engineering
- Anh-Mi Le, Business (Human Resources)/Government/Law
- Aryam Mebrahtu, Computer Science (Programming)
- Roselin Mejia Santos, Medicine/Pharmacist
- Deep Mistry, Software Engineer/Software Developer/Web Designer
- Abel Negash, Medicine
- Tracey Nguyen, Computer Science
- Daniel Quach, Computer Science
- Michelle Tran, Anesthesiology/Neurology
- Lynda Vasquez, Software Engineering/High School Teacher
- Rama Woldebirhan, Clinician/Physician
- Miskay Zelalem, Undecided
Walt Whitman High School
- Elena Kotschoubey, Engineering/Urban Planning
- Natalie Lowy, Psychology
- Ridmi Madarasinghe, Astrophysics/Aerospace Engineering
- Shreekanya Mitra, Medicine
- Jack Szyprowski, Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering/Political Science
- Jacob Youn, Scientific Research
- Paolo Zavalaga, Carreno, Economics
Walter Johnson High School
- Gaeun Rachel Bahn, Biology/Dentistry/Education
- Gabrielle Barke, Music Professor
- Kian Arkin Mercado, Medicine (Physician)
- Shara Mohotti Arachchige, Electrical Engineering
- Solyana Mulugata, Medicine (Physician)
- Olivia Profit, Medicine (Physician)
- Juno Song, Computer Programming
- Keyu Zhao, Medicine (Physician)
Watkins Mill High School
- Sarah Bamba, Chemical Engineering
- Rebeca Barragan, Medicine (Nursing/Physician’s Assistant)
- Ashley Huynh, Human Biology/Sociology (Physician or Professor)
- Isuri Kaluwitharana, Professor
- Brannet Quartey, Engineer
- Md Rahman, Physics
- Roselyn Salmeron Ventura, Architecture
- Ehi Ukpokwu, Computer Programmer Wheaton High School
- Jeymy Diaz Bustillo, Psychology
- Jerry Lin, Environmental Scientist (Researcher), High School Teacher
- Romer Miranda, Molecular Biology/Computational Biology/Bioengineering
- Miles Moosavi, Machine Learning Science
- Anthony Nguyen, Computer Programming
- Christine Nguyen, Business Management
- Andre Nunez, Mechanical Engineering
- Abel Sanchez Gil, Software Developer/Engineer/Computer Science
- Madeline Schamaun, Physical Therapist
- Steven Ulloa, Computer Programming
- Erik Vasquez, Computer Science (Cybersecurity)
- Rebecca Wossen, Virologist
Winston Churchill High School
- Lester Cheng, Mechanical Engineering/Aerospace Engineering/Astrophysics
- Anthony Chung, Biology, Information Technology
- Selena Jiang, Pharmacist, Health/Medical Field/STEM
- Maya Jordan, International Development
- Abraham Zhao, Computer Science
Thomas S. Wootton High School
- Methasha Bambarande-Hewage, Video Game Design
- Christina Cao, Chemistry/Biology
- David Chang, Professor
- Vincent Huang, Computer Programmer
- Jonathan Lee, Software Engineer
- Lianyu Peng, Computer Science
- Anthony Ren, Mechanical Engineering
- Emma Song, Law/Political Science/International Relations
- Ishani Tyagi, Philosophy/Urban Studies/Economics
- Grace Zhang, Neurologist
- Jennifer Zhang, Business
