Maggie Walker Governor’s School senior Saumil Bandyopadhyay, of Henrico, is one of six national finalists for a $100,000 award from the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology, the nation’s premier research competition for high school students. Bandyopadhyay’s research focused on an infrared photodetector, with potential applications in car collision avoidance and mine detection. He has applied for a US patent for his project.

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Student Diante’ Ryals, of Richmond, spent Thanksgiving break serving others as part of James Madison University’s Alternative Thanksgiving Break program. Ryals joined a group of eight students who worked with the Medici Project in Atlanta, Ga., specifically with an agency called Safehouse, which supports and works with at-risk children such as teenager mothers or children of incarcerated parents. JMU’s Alternative Break Program provides learning opportunities for students outside of the classroom. Trips occur at Thanksgiving, spring break, in May and on various weekends throughout the year.

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Kayla Adams and Raymond Bucklew, of Richmond, recently were named to the dean’s list for the fall 2012 semester at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. To be eligible for the dean’s list, students must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

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The following students have been accepted at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C. for the fall 2013 semester: Grayson Shelly and Dylan Shellhammer, of Deep Run High School; Sarah Burden, of Freeman High School; Alexis Riddick, of Varina High School; and Taylor Brill, of the Steward School.