2 Highland Park Students Named Presidential Scholar Candidates

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Two Highland Park High School seniors have been named candidates to become part of the 2020 class of U.S. Presidential Scholars. Out of an estimated 3.7 million students expected to graduate high school this year, about 4,000 were invited to apply for the prestigious honor this week by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars.

Former President Lyndon Johnson established the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program with a 1964 executive order, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In 1979, it was expanded to include Presidential Scholars in the Arts honors, and again in 2015 to Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education.

Highland Park residents Samuel I. Harris and Tobe M. Obochi were among those invited to apply. Also in Township High School District 113, three members of the Deerfield High School class of 2020 were among the candidates announced Jan. 21. Application is by invitation only — students are not nominated by their schools and do not apply to become candidates, according to the commission.

The list of eligible candidates in the class of 2020 is expected to be narrowed to about 600 semifinalists in April. The White House-appointed commission then selects 161 scholars — 120 in the general component, 20 in the arts and 20 in career and technical educations.

The winners are then invited to Washington, DC, in June for recognition ceremonies, including a White House-sponsored event with the presentation of Presidential Scholars medallions.