Newton Student Wins Prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholar Award

NEWTON, MA — The Department of Education announced 161 students as 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholars today. Four of them hail from Massachusetts, including one from Newton.

The award is considered one of the nation's highest honors for high school students and each scholar will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion at a ceremony on June 18 in Washington.

Newton teen Sivaram S. Emani who attends The Roxbury Latin School was chosen among a pool of more than 5,100 students qualified to be considered for the award this year.

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“Today's Presidential Scholars are tomorrow's leaders, and I am confident they will continue to be shining examples as they enter the next phase of their academic careers," said Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

According to the White House Committee on Presidential Scholars, those selected demonstrate exceptional accomplishments in academics, the arts, career and technical education and an outstanding commitment to public service.

The awards are based on the review of each student's academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, on top of demonstrated commitment to community service, leadership, and high ideals.

Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored some 7,000 of the nation's top-performing students with the prestigious award given to honorees during the annual ceremony in Washington, by executive order.

The full list from Massachusetts:

Sivaram S. Emani, Newton - The Roxbury Latin School
**Alkenly S. Ortiz, Lawrence - Greater Lawrence Regional Vo-Tech HS
*Amir Siraj, Brookline - Brookline High School
Catherine L. Wang, Lexington - Lexington High School

[*] One asterisk indicates a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts
[**] Two asterisks indicates a U.S. Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education

Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images News/Getty Images