The Madeira School Celebrates Recent Student Recognitions

From scholarships to the arts, these Madeira students are recognized for their personal best

The Madeira School, a leading girls’ college preparatory and boarding school, is proud to share recent recognitions awarded to students by external organizations.

Minna Xu ’25 (left) and Tara Bhatnagar ’25 (right)

Three seniors were named semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Tara Bhatnagar ’25, Eve Hawkins ’25, and Minna Xu ’25 were selected from over 1.3 million high school juniors, based on their 2023 PSAT/NMSQT® scores. Semifinalists were the top-scoring entrants in their states and represent less than 1 percent of seniors in the U.S.

Eve Hawkins '25

After completing a rigorous application process, Hawkins was named a winner. She will receive a $2,500 scholarship. She plans to attend Santa Clara University and will likely study engineering. Bhatnagar will study at the University of Chicago, while Xu will join the incoming class at Johns Hopkins University.

Olivia Tse '25 on campus at UNC

Olivia Tse ’25, Madeira’s current Head of Student Government, has been named a Morehead-Cain Scholar. The Morehead-Cain scholarship is the first merit scholarship in the United States, modeled after the Rhodes Scholarship. It is awarded to approximately 75 students each year who exemplify the scholarship’s pillars of leadership, moral character, scholarship, and physical vigor. The scholarship covers all expenses of attending the University of North Carolina, as well as fully funded summer opportunities. Looking beyond graduation from Madeira, Tse stated, “I am most excited to use the Morehead-Cain summer opportunities to help create change and understand our world.”

Camille Fallen '26 performed in You on the Moors Now as Cathy in Fall 2024

At the 2025 Virginia Thespian Festival, held each year to educate young theatermakers and celebrate artistic achievement, Laila "Camille" Fallen '26 was honored with a Superior Thespy Award in the Solo Acting category.

Dalli "Diane" Nam ’25

Hailing from Seoul, Beijing, and Saigon, Dalli "Diane" Nam ’25 was recently named a recipient of a Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship at the University of Toronto. Nam was the recipient of Madeira’s Passion, Innovation and Knowledge (PINK) Award in 2024. Inspired by the sometimes-damaging heavy rains of her childhood, she designed a modular green roof prototype that National Geographic recognized as one of 50 candidates to be considered for funding up to $10,000. These candidates were selected from 2,100 submissions from 87 countries. Although Diane did not finish in the final 15, she did receive an Honorable Mention.

One of Miss Madeira’s founding philosophies that still rings true is that each student should strive to reach her own personal best. Madeira’s Head of School, Christina Kyong, drives this home, stating, “Our focus remains on our mission to launch women who change the world and achieve at their highest ability. We are humbled and honored to receive news of external student achievements and are proud of how Madeira balances an ambitious academic program within our supportive community. Although we don’t seek rankings and awards, I am proud of how our students are recognized.”

Founded in 1906 by Lucy Madeira, The Madeira School offers 338 students in grades 9-12 an immersive learning program designed to build confidence, courage, and experiences beyond the classroom, enabling them to thrive and become leaders in an ever-evolving world. The School’s innovative academic schedule fosters deeper learning and allows students to explore interests, retain information effectively, and gain real-life experiences through three internships before graduation.

About The Madeira School

Founded in 1906, The Madeira School is a leading girls’ college preparatory and boarding school dedicated to its mission of launching women who change the world. Madeira educates students from grades 9-12 on its 376-acre campus, just 10 miles from Washington, D.C., and boasts a student body that comes from 22 states and 43 countries, as well as a proud network of over 6,000 alums. Madeira’s nationally recognized Co-Curriculum experiential learning program provides internships similar to those offered by colleges. Over their four years, Madeira students build distinguished resumes. The ambitious academic program promotes a joyful journey of self-discovery. Madeira’s students gain confidence, courage, and real-world experience so they can thrive in an ever-evolving future.

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