2007 Presidential Scholars Announced

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the selection of 141 outstanding high school seniors as the 2007 Presidential Scholars. The students have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to school and community. Presidential scholars will be honored for their accomplishments in Washington D.C., from June 23-27.

“The 2007 Presidential Scholars represent the great gift we have in our nation’s youth,” Spellings said. “Their academic achievement and their spirit of leadership and service will ensure their success in the 21st century knowledge economy. They exemplify the standard of excellence that we are striving for in all our schools across the United States, and their skills, energy and innovation will enable America to set a competitive pace in our changing world.”

The 141 Presidential Scholars include 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. A 27-member Commission on Presidential Scholars appointed by President Bush selected the scholars 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.

For the past 43 years, this prestigious program has honored more than 5,000 of the nation’s top-performing students. Of the three million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 2,700 candidates qualified on the basis of outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams, or by nomination through the nationwide Young Arts talent search conducted by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

The Presidential Scholars program was created in 1964 to honor academic achievement. It was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts.

Since 1983, each Presidential Scholar has invited his or her most inspiring and challenging teacher to travel to Washington, D.C., to receive a Teacher Recognition Award from the U.S. Department of Education and to participate in the recognition events.