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U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today announced the 54th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, recognizing 161 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts and career and technical education fields.
“I want to congratulate this year’s class of Presidential Scholars on their achievement and also thank their parents, teachers and other academic advisors who have helped guide them along the way,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “These students have pushed themselves to be the best they can be, and I am certain that devotion will serve them well as they continue their individual learning journeys.”
The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.
Of the 3.6 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 5,200 candidates qualified for the 2018 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams, through nominations made by Chief State School Officers, other partner recognition organizations or the National YoungArts Foundation’s nationwide YoungArts™ competition.
The 2018 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education.
Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored almost 7,500 of the nation’s top-performing students with the prestigious award given to honorees during the annual ceremony in Washington. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields.
The 2018 ceremony will be held June 24, when each honoree will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion.
A complete list of 2018 U.S. Presidential Scholars follows and is also available at http://www.ed.gov/psp.
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2018 U.S. Presidential Scholars
[*] An asterisk indicates a Presidential Scholar in the Arts
[**] Two asterisks indicate a Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education
Alabama
AL – Dylan E. Campbell, Mobile – McGill-Toolen Catholic High School
[**] AL – Zackery C. Love, Talladega – Talladega High School
AL – Sarah Zhao, Birmingham – Vestavia Hills High School
Alaska
AK – Birch J. Boyer, Anchorage – Polaris K-12 School
AK – Ana Stringer, Barrow – Barrow High School
American Abroad
AA – Ayden J. Kemp, APO – Ramstein American High School
AA – Mansi Totwani, St. Thomas – Antilles School
Arizona
AZ – Seoyoon Kim, Phoenix – BASIS Peoria
[**] AZ – Lana H. Mohamed, Peoria – Centennial High School
AZ – Aditya Sivakumar, Phoenix – BASIS PHOENIX
Arkansas
AR – Jon C. Boekhout, Hot Springs – Hot Springs World Class High School
AR – Anika Mittal, Blytheville – KIPP Blytheville Collegiate High School
[**] AR – Ashley Turner, Maumelle – Maumelle High School
California
CA – Maggie S. Chen, San Diego – Canyon Crest Academy
[*] CA – Jacqueline He, San Jose – Harker School
CA – Jake Kim, Newbury Park – Westlake High School
[*] CA – Sanna Legan, Los Angeles – New Roads School
[*] CA – Anilee List, Los Angeles – Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
CA – Advait Patil, San Jose – Lynbrook High School
Colorado
CO – Siddharth M. Mane, Greenwood Village – Cherry Creek High School
CO – Isani Singh, Aurora – Cherry Creek High School
CO – Chelsea Wang, Fort Collins – Fossil Ridge High School
Connecticut
CT – Cole Marcuccio, Canton – Canton Jr-Sr High School
CT – Michelle Woo, Riverside – Greenwich High School
Delaware
DE – Michael Z. Chen, Newark – Newark Charter Junior/Senior High School
DE – Grace Gong, Newark – Charter School of Wilmington
District of Columbia
DC – Michael Adeyi, Washington – Sidwell Friends School
DC – Samantha C. O’Sullivan, Washington – School Without Walls
Florida
FL – Sidhika Balachandar, Gainesville – Buchholz High School
[*] FL – James Balo, Miami – Design & Architecture Senior High School
[*] FL – Elena Gonzalez, Cutler Bay – New World School of the Arts
[*] FL – Ishmael Gonzalez, Hialeah – New World School of the Arts
[**] FL – Caroline Hanson, Youngstown – Deane Bozeman School
FL – Tamim Kawakibi, Pensacola – Pensacola High School
FL – Grant J. LoPresti, Lutz – George M. Steinbrenner High School
Georgia
GA – Keaton P. Coletti, Bogart – North Oconee High School
GA – Paul M. Matesevac, Lawrenceville – Collins Hill High School
GA – Minjung Yu, Watkinsville – Oconee County High School
Hawaii
HI – Mylia H. Briggs, Kapolei – Kapolei High School
HI – Davey Huang, Honolulu – Iolani School
HI – Isabelle J. Rhee, Honolulu – Punahou School
Idaho
ID – Jack A. Lauer, Boise – Boise High School
ID – Tia T. Vierling, Moscow – Moscow High School
Illinois
[**] IL – Connor K. Erbsen, Lanark – Eastland High District 308
[*] IL – David Hou, Hawthorn Woods – Adlai E. Stevenson High School
IL – Ibraheem Khan, Chicago – Northside College Preparatory High School
IL – Audrey Pettigrew, Chicago – Walter Payton College Preparatory School
Indiana
IN – Susan Chen, Fort Wayne – Homestead High School
[**] IN – Lane Hilgenhold, Tell City – Perry Central Community School
IN – Harrison Knable, New Albany – New Albany High School
Iowa
[**] IA – Hermela Gebremariam, Fairfield – Fairfield Community High School
IA – Caleb L. Lines, Nashua – Nashua Plainfield High School
IA – Sophia Xiao, Bettendorf – Pleasant Valley High School
Kansas
KS – Gabriel J. Gress, Overland Park – Blue Valley High School
KS – Neeharika Kothapalli, Overland Park – Blue Valley West High School
Kentucky
[*] KY – Aaron Choate, Lexington – Lafayette Senior High School
KY – Kasey C. Fields, Lexington – Lafayette Senior High School
KY – Zsombor T. Gal, Lexington – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
KY – David W. Ma, Lexington – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Louisiana
LA – Erina M. Buchholz, Baton Rouge – Baton Rouge Magnet High School
LA – Dakota W. Simpson, Shreveport – Caddo Parish Magnet High School
Maine
ME – Gregory A. Pershing, Cumberland – Greely High School
ME – Grace E. Roberts, South Portland – Cape Elizabeth High School
Maryland
MD – Sreya Vangara, Germantown – Poolesville Senior High School
MD – Michael Yin, Rockville – Montgomery Blair High School
Massachusetts
MA – Samantha C. Alves, Mansfield – Noble and Greenough School
MA – Moriah G. Lim, North Attleboro – North Attleboro High School
Michigan
MI – Tanner L. Bonner, Dearborn Heights – Annapolis High School [*] MI – Nathan Ginter, Kalamazoo – Interlochen Arts Academy
[**] MI – Mikal Goodman, Pontiac – Arts and Technology of Pontiac
[**] MI – Caitlin Henne, Eaton Rapids – Springport High School MI – Neha Seshadri, Ann Arbor – Skyline High School
[**] MI – Veena Thamilselvan, Farmington Hills – Harrison High School
Minnesota
MN – Julia B. Luehr, Chanhassen – Minnetonka High School
MN – Hyun Soo Song, Edina – Breck School
Mississippi
MS – Tyler A. Jackson, Gulfport – Saint Patrick Catholic High School
MS – Wei Li, Vancleave – Vancleave High School
Missouri
MO – Alexander W. Donovan, Chesterfield – Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School
MO – Michelle Li, Ballwin – Marquette High School
Montana
[**] MT – Tyler Noyes, Toston – Broadwater High School
MT – Devin J. Seyler, Clancy – Helena High School
MT – Emma G. Sihler, Helena – Helena High School
Nebraska
[**] NE – Hunter Guru, Lincoln – Lincoln East High School
NE – Jae Hyun Lim, Lincoln – Lincoln Southwest High School
NE – Jenna Y. Mu, Omaha – Brownell-Talbot School
Nevada
NV – Andrew T. Wang, Henderson – Clark High School
[*] NV – Alisha M. Yi, Las Vegas – Clark High School
NV – Leah Yim, Las Vegas – West Career and Technical Academy
New Hampshire
NH – Vinjai S. Vale, Exeter – Phillips Exeter Academy
NH – Tiffany White, Barnstead – Prospect Mountain High School
New Jersey
NJ – Katherine Dai, Glen Rock – Academy for Medical Science Technology NJ – Isaac Hart, Glen Rock – Glen Rock High School
[*] NJ – Noah Lee, Oakland – Don Bosco Preparatory High School
[**] NJ – Alexandra Poret, Sparta – Sparta High School
[**] NJ – Deven Singh, Manalapan – Monmouth Academy of Allied Health & Sciences
New Mexico
NM – Alexandra K. Mauritsen, Artesia – Artesia High School
NM – Jorrell Mirabal, Magdalena – Magdalena High School
New York
NY – Jade Carvalho, Smithtown – Hauppauge High School
NY – Charles T. Curnin, Rye – Rye Country Day School Upper School
North Carolina
NC – Nithya S. Adusumilli, Cary – Raleigh Charter High School
NC – Ronak Bhagia, Charlotte – Providence Day School
NC – Jack M. Swanson, Morganton – Freedom High School
[*] NC – Jace A. Weyant, Clemmons – North Carolina School of the Arts
North Dakota
ND – Marissa R. Diggs, Oakes – Oakes High School
[**] ND – Brianna D. Maddock, Davenport – Kindred High School
ND – Nidhi T. Mahale, Fargo – Davies High School
ND – Isaac S. Spanjer, Fargo – North High School
Ohio
OH – Nathaniel J. Boerner, Cincinnati – Boerner Home School
[*] OH – Natalie Choo, Cincinnati – Seven Hills Upper School
OH – Emily G. Dietz, Zanesville – Maysville High School
OH – Nicholas D. Maxwell, Granville – Granville High School
[*] OH – Shreyah Mohanselvan, New Albany – Columbus Academy
Oklahoma
OK – Michael P. Gehr, Edmond – Heritage Hall Upper School
OK – Michael Mandanas, Edmond – Heritage Hall Upper School
OK – Jamie E. Marrara, Claremore – Oologah High School
Oregon
OR – Brian Josephson, Medford – South Medford High School
[*] OR – Ameya Okamoto, Portland – The Catlin Gabel School
OR – Raley Schweinfurth, Portland – Oregon Episcopal School
Pennsylvania
PA – Aryaman Khandelwal, Breinigsville – Parkland High School
[*] PA – William McGregor, Malvern – PA Leadership Charter School PA – Pranshu Suri, Bryn Mawr – The Baldwin School
Puerto Rico
PR – Diego F. Gonzalez-Lizardi, San Juan – St. John’s School
PR – Cristina M. Trapaga, Dorado – Tasis School in Dorado
Rhode Island
RI – Portia T. Gaitskell, Barrington – Lincoln School
[**] RI – Sherenté M. Harris, Charlestown – Metro Regional Career & Tech Center
RI – Jordan C. Kimia, Providence – Classical High School
South Carolina
[*] SC – Aidan Forster, Taylors – South Carolina Governor’s School for Arts & Humanities
SC – Robert D. Rush, Conway – Conway High School
SC – Jenny J. Yao, Mount Pleasant – Academic Magnet High School
South Dakota
[**] SD – Bridger J. Gordon, Whitewood – Sturgis High School
SD – Oscar Kavanagh, Brookings – Brookings High School
SD – Ruhama Tereda, Sioux Falls – Washington High School
Tennessee
TN – Rachel M. Fan, Memphis – White Station High School
TN – Chapman D. Finn, Franklin – Battle Ground Academy
Texas
TX – Micheal Brown, Houston – Mirabeau B Lamar Senior High School
TX – Katherine Lei, Plano Senior High School – Plano Senior High School
TX – Sonesh Patel, Austin – Vandegrift High School
TX – Syamantak Payra, Friendswood – Clear Brook High School
[*] TX – Emir Price, Dallas – Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts
TX – Mikayla C. Slaydon, San Augustine – San Augustine High School
Utah
[**] UT – Kael Berkley, Heber City – Wasatch High School
[**] UT – Lydia Day, Orem – Timpanogos High School
UT – Annelisa Kingsbury-Lee, Salt Lake City – West High School
UT – Riley J. Lewis, Payson – Salem Hills High School
[**] UT – Kanishka Ragula, Salt Lake City – Skyline High School
Vermont
VT – Mary C. Markley, Burlington – Burlington High School
VT – Walker C. Randall, Waitsfield – Harwood Union High School
Virginia
VA – Kavya Kopparapu, Herndon – Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology
VA – Mihir Patel, Great Falls – Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology
VA – Marissa Sumathipala, Ashburn – Broad Run High School
Washington
WA – Dana Berejka, Mercer Island – Mercer Island High School
WA – Grant Hugh, Shoreline – Lakeside School
West Virginia
WV – Brady D. Hanshaw, Charleston – Sissonville High School
WV – Vinitha Joseph, Morgantown – Morgantown High School
Wisconsin
WI – Charles X. Hua, Middleton – West High School