Press Release: IEA Announces 54 Finalists for National Award Program for Gifted 7th Graders

June 30, 2025

Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Supports the High School Education of Exceptionally Gifted Students

PASADENA, CA – 06/30/2025 – The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA), a national nonprofit dedicated to the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of the nation’s gifted and advanced learners, is proud to announce the selection of 54 outstanding middle school students as finalists for its Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship (CDB) national award program. Now in its 24th year, this national award program is the only merit-based, need-blind scholarship recognizing exceptional academic achievement in gifted seventh graders.

This year’s finalists were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants representing every region of the United States. They demonstrate exceptional promise and passion across a wide range of academic interests including astrophysics, robotics, music composition, and animal welfare. Finalists who are not selected as Scholars will receive a $1,000 award to support their continued academic and intellectual development. In addition, all finalists are invited to one of IEA’s Yunasa summer camps in 2026 at a special finalist-only rate where they will have the opportunity to grow personally, explore their interests, and connect with other gifted youth.

“These 54 students represent the very best of our nation’s gifted students. They are bright, driven and curious thinkers who are already using their talents to change the world,” said Deborah Monroe, IEA President. “We are honored to recognize and celebrate this exceptional group of middle school students.”

Caroline D. Bradley Scholars receive a prestigious four-year scholarship that covers full high school tuition at an optimally matched school or through an individualized education plan. Scholars also benefit from ongoing, personalized counseling and educational advocacy provided by IEA. 

Interested seventh grade students apply for the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship and complete a rigorous portfolio application process, which includes essays, middle school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a work sample. Eligible applicants must also achieve scores at the highest level on nationally normed standardized tests. The finalists will move on to the next round in the application process; the CDB award winners will be announced in the fall.

2025 Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Program Finalists

Thira Ager – San Luis Obispo, CA
Aryav Ahuja – Santa Clara, CA
Aiden An – Los Angeles, CA
Juliette Benadon – Sherman Oaks, CA
Katerina Borbat – Rye, NY
Taj Brandon – Palo Alto, CA
Alexander Braun – Mountain View, CA
Theodore Carmichael-Watanabe – Seattle, WA
Pradyun Chavan – Sierra Madre, CA
Audrey Choi – Burlingame, CA
Jason Dong – Iowa City, IA
Edward Fu – Sugar Land, TX
Reika Fukushima – Costa Mesa, CA
Cameron Fullhart – Fort Wayne, IN
Amanda Gao – Saint Paul, MN
Sofia Grandis-Oliveira – Los Gatos, CA
Charlotte Hall North – Easton, MA
Ryan Hardy – Atlanta, GA
Santiago Hermez – Pasadena, CA
Landon Ifill – New Rochelle, NY
Charles Inglis – Hingham, MA
Neil Iyer – Irvine, CA
Simone Kadlec – Milwaukee, WI
Donghyeon Kim – Fremont, CA
Sophia Krum – Arcadia, CA
Zenith Kwong – Pinole, CA
Ensley Lansford – Southport, CT
Andrew Lau – Sugar Land, TX
Sophia Lei – Cincinnati, OH
Ness Leitman – Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Emma Lu – Shoreview, MN
Shriya Madhavan – Highlands Ranch, CO
Pranshi Mehta – Austin, TX
Melanie Mendoza – South Gate, CA
Deston Nangoy – Shelby Township, MI
Menkyi Nyinda – Louisville, CO
Baxter Oates – Brooklyn, NY
Ashvita Prasankumar – Albuquerque, NM
Drake Prater – Tyrone, GA
Tara Prawira – Bismarck, ND
James Rogers – Clayton, MO
Coralie Rossbach – West Lake Hills, TX
Olivia Ryerson – Philadelphia, PA
Nishank Seth – Vienna, VA
Cori Tanner – Decatur, GA
Emma Teng – Foster City, CA
Dyer Thompson – Carmel, IN
Emma Trejo – Cypress, TX
Sade Uzodinma – Houston, TX
Nora Whitman – Lafayette, LA
Mia Wojcik – Orlando, FL
Madissen Wu – Sammamish, WA
Ryan Yin – Ashburn, VA
Moxi Zhu – Campbell, CA

About the Institute for Educational Advancement

The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) is dedicated to the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of our nation’s gifted and high-potential youth. Central to the mission of IEA is a commitment to the development of the whole child through engaging educational experiences that promote optimal challenge, mentorship, exploration of ideas, and recognition of personal potential. IEA seeks to connect gifted individuals through dynamic and engaging year-round programming. Additionally, IEA supports a diverse community that creates a sense of belonging and affirmation. For more information, visit www.educationaladvancement.org.

About the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Program

IEA’s Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Program is one of the few U.S. high school scholarship programs that is need-blind and awarded solely on the basis of merit to highly gifted seventh graders. Since its inception in 2002, the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship has served over 425 students with academic and personal support, high school tuition and a lifelong network for mentorship and peer connections. The award is generously funded by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

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Carmen Guan

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Mark Sixma