Five Lake Forest Students Named Presidential Scholar Candidates

LAKE FOREST, IL — Five high school seniors who live or attend school in Lake Forest 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.

Application is by invitation only — students are not nominated by their schools and do not apply to become candidates. The following Lake Forest students or residents have been invited to apply for selection as Presidential Scholars:

• Angelina G. Chan, Long Grove, Lake Forest Academy
• Elaina H. Lee, Lake Forest, Lake Forest High School
• Pranav Putta, Lake Forest, Adlai E. Stevenson High School
• Gabriel Ran, Lake Forest, Adlai E. Stevenson High School
• Alex S. Slomba, Lake Forest, Lake Forest High School

One Lake Bluff resident was also invited to apply:

• Nikita Elkin, Lake Bluff, Illinois Math and Science Academy

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 ceremony with the presentation of Presidential Scholars medallions.