HPHS Students Named Presidential Scholar Candidates

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Five students from Township High School District 113 are among the candidates for the 57th U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, one of the nation's top honors for high school students.

The two Highland Park High School students and three Deerfield High School students were among more than 4,500 seniors named candidates last week and offered a chance to apply during their final semester of high school.

Application for the program is by invitation only. Students are not nominated by school administrators. According to the Department of Education, the vast majority of candidates qualify based on exceptionally high SAT or ACT standardized test scores.

There are a couple of other ways to qualify. Several other recognition organizations partnered with the program. They were each able to individually nominate up to 40 candidates. Additionally, each state's chief state school officer also can nominate 20 students, equally divided by gender.

A total of 153 Illinois students were among those invited to apply. The candidates also include three Deerfield High School students and a Deerfield resident who attends the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora named a candidate for U.S Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education.

Local candidates include:

Eli Gidron, of Highland Park — Highland Park High School
Caitlin Hong, of Highland Park — Highland Park High School
Ellyn Hu, of Deerfield — Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Peter Reynolds, of Deerfield — Deerfield High School
Rebecca Shamberg, of Deerfield — Deerfield High School
Benjamin Spiegel, of Deerfield — Deerfield High School

A panel of educations narrows down the applicants to about 600 semifinalists by early April. The Commission on Presidential Scholars, a 32-member group of presidential appointees, then selects a group of finalists.

The Department of Education traditionally announces the approximately 161 scholars in May, and, the Presidential Scholars Medallion has been awarded at recognition ceremonies in Washington D.C.

Last year's group of winners included one female student and one male student from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. families living abroad and 20 scholars in the arts, 20 scholars in career and technical education and 15 scholars chosen at-large.