MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Department of Education honored 11 distinguished Minnesota high school students at a virtual award ceremony June 20 with Scholars of Distinction awards.

“These students have done outstanding work by putting their ideas, passions and unique talent into their projects. I congratulate each of them on the effort they put into challenging themselves,” said Education Commissioner Willie Jett. “We are honored to see the work students have done through the Scholars of Distinction program and are proud of these students for bringing new knowledge to their schools and communities. We are excited to see what they will do next.”

The students honored include:

Scholar of Distinction

Computer Science

Zhoujinyi Wen, Jefferson High School in Bloomington Public Schools
Project: "The Development of Generative Artificial Intelligence Supported Non-Playable Characters"

Cultural Studies

Cayden Granger, Princeton High School
Project: "The Sociological Impacts of the Japanese Education Model"

Environmental Leadership

Sriram Sureshkum, Mahtomedi High School
Project: "Impact of Biochar as Soil Amendment on Produce Yield"

Mathematics

Oliver Chan, St. Paul Academy
Project: "Examining the Impact of Positive Affirmations on the Confidence and Perception of Academic Performance of High School Students"

Science

Quinn Hughes, Minnetonka High School
Project: "Mars or Bust! A Method to Build a Martian Regoliath-Based Substrate for Sustainable Agriculture on Mars"

Weili Lu, Wayzata High School
Project: "Investigating the Impacts of Environmental and Dietary Changes on the Gut Microbiota of Mature Cayuga Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus)"

Karin Lund, The Blake School
Project: "Processed Cervid Meats as a Potential Factor in the Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease"

Social Studies

Ellen Ekins, Austin High School
Project: "Socioeconomic High-Achievement Outliers in Minnesota High Schools and Identification of Supportive Factors"

STEM

Ritwik Gaur, Wayzata High School
Project: "Relative Equilibria of Pinwheel/Point Mass Systems in a Planar Gravitational Field"

Scholar of Promise

Social Studies

Mia King and Eeva Nelson, Austin High School
Project: "World War I in the Middle East vs. Israel-Hamas War" 

About the Scholars of Distinction Award Program

To earn recognition in the Scholars of Distinction, a student must complete required work in Minnesota’s academic standards, demonstrate mastery of complex subject matter, and apply their knowledge and skills on a challenging project. Students are eligible for award consideration in computer science, cultural studies, environmental leadership, mathematics, science, social studies or STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The students may be enrolled in grades 11-12 at a public or private school; homeschooled in grades 11-12; or enrolled in a Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program.

Scholars of Distinction encourages students to think critically and creatively about academic and social issues and about how they can make a difference in their communities.

All students who wish to apply for a Scholars of Distinction Award can find more information on the Scholars of Distinction webpage. The 2025 Scholars of Distinction intent to submit application opens Oct. 1.

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