97 Darlington students earn AP Scholar distinction
By Maddie Chastain - Faculty
During the 2025-26 school year, 97 Darlington students earned the designation of AP Scholar by The College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program (AP) Exams.
“We congratulate our students who choose to challenge themselves within Darlington's rigorous curriculum by taking Advanced Placement classes," said Dean of College Guidance Ivy Brewer. "Kudos to our AP Scholars who have achieved this recognition from The College Board!"
The College Board’s AP Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. Students took AP Exams in May 2026 after completing challenging college-level courses at their high schools. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on the student’s performance on AP Exams.
Thirty-one students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are sophomores Kerui Lu, Tony Zhai and Fanghe Zhang; juniors Yonah S. Banda, James W. Bowerman, William B. Brown, Logan R. Cochran, Jackson P. Craig, Anne C. Dempsey, Cora B. Fannin, Julian Lansdell, Chaebeom Lim, Wenyuan Lyu, Lingyu Meng, Rayan Noor, Sara J. Pierce, Jingxuan Qiu, Xiran Xiong, Yunjia Yao and Brynn M. Zeller; and seniors Toby S. Burns, Jiarui Guo, Lukas Hempel, Charles F. Jackson, Zachary W. Kimani, Fucheng Li, Weiqing Lyu, Hayes R. Parsa, Sophie C. Piller, Kensie R. Waller, and Jianan Zhang.
Seventeen students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are sophomores Victor D. Chin, Jamison M. Howren, Andrew E. Parsa and Dean Shen; juniors Tripp M. Dunn, Grady C. Ferguson, William R. Holmes, Randy Kim, Cooper M. Laliberte, Phineas L. Pollard, Sara B. Snider, Preston J. Wilson and Qiming Yue; and seniors Baozi Chen, Ruikun Chen, Brynlan P. Merritt, and Savannah N. Palmer.
Fourty-nine students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Examinations, with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are sophomores Chaeeun Lim and Jacky Zhu; juniors Camille J. Cross, Evie C. Daniel, Cameron O. Edwards, Andrew V. Hight, Lisa Lin, Cayetano Lopez-Espejo Panos, Jackson M. Loy, Grant C. Molnar, Colten L. Momon, Hoang Minh Thu Nguyen, Finley M. Pilgrim, Nate J. Pitts, Caroline K. Sawhill, Emma Trieu and Astryd Will; and seniors Jake O. Absher, Annie K. Beauchamp, Brent D. Bell, Reese L. Bell, Claire O. Bojo, Harrison Chang, Grayson J. Clark, Grace E. Cowan, Emma Frances Cromartie, Gabrielle L. Culberson, Isabel S. Damen, Arthur L. Donahue V, Murray C. Ellington, Daniella N. Ezeike, Harrison E. Inman, Caroline Knight, David H. Ledbetter, Yanrui Liang, Olivia Lunsford, Sarah K. McQueen, Anjola O. Morgan, Kaya J. Nadu, Xiaofan Niu, Aryana B. Patel, Jaylen A. Patel, Megan L. Pinkley, Dan Spurny, Sophie A. Strickland, Myles C. Twyman, Xiaorui Wang, Adrienne E. Woods, and Ava Ann H. Woods.
AP Scholar Awards
Every fall, the AP Program recognizes high school students who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through their performance on multiple AP Exams.
AP Scholar Awards come in different levels and types. Click here to see the criteria.
Through more than 30 different college-level courses and exams, AP provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit or advanced placement and stand out in the college admissions process. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that our exams are aligned with the same high standards expected by college faculty at some of the nation’s leading liberal arts and research institutions. AP is accepted by more than 3,600 colleges and universities worldwide for college credit, advanced placement, or both on the basis of successful AP Exam grades. This includes more than 90% of four-year institutions in the United States. Research consistently shows that AP students who score a 3 or higher on AP Exams (based on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest) typically experience greater academic success in college and higher graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.
The College Board is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,600 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. Each year, The College Board serves 7 million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT and the Advanced Placement (AP) Program. The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities and concerns.
