Presidential Scholars Recognized in Washington
Secretary Duncan and the 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars at the White House this week. Official Department of Education photo by Leslie Williams.
More than 140 of the country’s brightest high school seniors arrived in Washington this week for the U.S. Presidential Scholars’ National Recognition Week. The annual event brings together and honors the recipients of the nation’s highest honor for graduating seniors.The 2012 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 and 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
The program’s alumni have gone on to lead and achieve in nearly every field of endeavor, from leading scientists and entrepreneurs; business people and philanthropists; stars of stage and screen, and public servants and statesmen. Presidential Scholars have won the Pulitzer Prize, the MacArthur “genius grant,” the National Medal of Arts, and other prestigious awards.Secretary Duncan recognized the Scholars on Saturday at the annual Medallion Ceremony and again on Monday night at the U.S. Presidential Scholars for the Arts Performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Click here to see a list of this year’s U.S. Presidential Scholars, and read more about the Presidential Scholars program.Presidential Scholars Dinner. Official Department of Education photo by Joshua Hoover.