U.S. Presidential Scholars: Four N.C. Students Win Prestigious Award

CHARLOTTE, NC — The Department of Education announced 161 students named U.S. Presidential Scholars Friday, a group the comes from every state in the country, Washington, D.C and Puerto Rico. Four students are from North Carolina.

"I congratulate this year's class of Presidential Scholars for their devotion to academic excellence and their parents and teachers who have guided them along the way,” said Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “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.”

According to the White House Committee on Presidential Scholars, "The Scholars demonstrate exceptional accomplishments in academics, the arts, career and technical education and an outstanding commitment to public service." The awards are given out based on the review of their "academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals."

More than 5,100 students qualified to be considered for the award. Each scholar will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion at a ceremony on June 18.

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Here's the full list of winners from the department:

Alabama

Trent S. Kannegieter, Daphne - Bayside Academy

Anna Pollard, Jacksonville - Jacksonville High School

Alaska

Makayla J. Maisey, Anchorage - A. J. Dimond High School

Adam J. Skelton, Anchorage - South Anchorage High School

Americans Abroad

John R. Casey, APO - Ramstein American High School

Rachel L. Flatt, FPO - Nile C. Kinnick High School

Arizona
Allison Z. Chen, Queen Creek - Hamilton High School

Jules T. Wyman, Tucson - University High School

Arkansas

Ryan K. Kim, Fayetteville - Fayetteville High School East Campus

Stephanie Zhao, Little Rock - Pulaski Academy

California

**Dayana Argueta, Winton - Atwater High School

Mike Bao, Walnut - Troy High School

*Carissa Chen, Tustin - Phillips Exeter Academy

*Jayden Gillespie, Rancho Santa Fe - Canyon Crest Academy

Katherine S. Li, San Jose - Lynbrook High School

**Katelyn Maclean, Arroyo Grande - Nipomo High School

Pravin Ravishanker, Sunnyvale - Bellarmine College Preparatory

Vaibhavi B. Shah, Corona - Centennial High School

*Samuel Siegel, Berkeley - Independence High School

*Meilan E. Steimle, Saratoga - Harker School

Posy K. Stoller, La Jolla - La Jolla Country Day School

Colorado

Mayank Mishra, Superior - Peak to Peak Charter School

Anqi Yu, Grand Junction - Palisade Senior High School

Connecticut

Kristen Richichi, New Fairfield - New Fairfield High School

Jackson Walker, Wilton - Wilton High School

William Yin, Riverside - Greenwich High School

Delaware

**Johnny Bui, Camden - Caesar Rodney Senior High School

**Christie E. Little, Harrington - Lake Forest High School

Dhruv Mohnot, Wilmington - Concord High School

Olivia R. O'Dwyer, Montchanin - Archmere Academy

District of Columbia

Kira L. Medish, Washington - National Cathedral School

John L. Nugent, Washington - School Without Walls

Florida

*Adriana De La Torre, Miami - New World School of the Arts

*Korri Lampedusa, Miami - Design & Architecture Senior High School

Varun Singh, Seffner - Middleton High School

*Kathryn Stenberg, Boca Raton - Alexander W Dreyfoos School of the Arts

Hiu Lam V. Yan, Bradenton - St. Stephen's Episcopal School

Georgia

**Dalton C. Green, Ringgold - Gordon Lee Memorial High School

Zane G. Placie, Kennesaw - Kennesaw Mountain High School

Isabelle O. Riddle, Canton - Sequoyah High School

**Helen J. Smith, Fayetteville - Sandy Creek High School

Nivedha Soundappan, Kathleen - Houston County High School

Hawaii

Carter Nakamoto, Aiea - Punahou School

Emily Yang, Honolulu - Kalani High School

IdahoElizabeth S. Lee, Boise - Boise High School

Henry Zhang, Boise - Capital High School

Illinois

Jane Boettcher, Naperville - Naperville North High School

*Andrew Guo, Chicago - Home-School

**Sophia M. Jerkatis, Naperville - Waubonsie Valley High School

Jungin A. Lee, Naperville - Metea Valley High School

Troy Shen, Chicago - The Culver Academies

Pranav A. Upadhyayula, Plainfield - Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Sushil B. Upadhyayula, Plainfield - Illinois Mathematics and Science Academ

Kathy M. Xiang, Vernon Hills - Adlai E. Stevenson High School

Indiana

Michael C. Wang, Carmel - Carmel High School

Elise H. Zaniker, Carmel - University High School

Iowa

Gabriel L. Mintzer, West Des Moines - Valley High School

Tiana M. Saak, Grundy Center - Grundy Center High School

Kansas

Bessie Bauman, Olathe - Olathe Northwest High School

Hannah Motley, Leawood - Blue Valley North High School

Tyler Ross, Salina - Salina High School South

Kentucky

Emily J. Liu, Louisville - duPont Manual Magnet High School

Kenneth T. Whitsell, Danville - Boyle County High School

Louisiana

Yunsu Kim, Metairie - Metairie Park Country Day School

Clarke M. Patrone, Broussard - Episcopal School Of Acadiana

Maine

Joshua L. Reynolds, York - York High School

Ellen E. Stanton, South Portland - South Portland High School

MarylandMatthew H. Kleiser, Timonium - Boys' Latin School Of Maryland

Tingyu Li, Ellicott City - Centennial High School

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

Michigan

**Carly Claucherty, Springport - Springport High School

Neil Vaishampayan, Troy - Troy High School

Guobibi Wang, Troy - Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School

Minnesota

William J. Drew, Maple Grove - Wayzata High School

Moriah H. Elkin, Mendota Hts - Simley Senior High School

Mississippi

Kelly E. Bates, Collinsville - West Lauderdale High School

Braeden J. Foldenauer, Southaven - Mississippi School for Mathematics & Science

Missouri

Erin R. Neely, Des Peres - Parkway South High School

Thomas C. Pointer, Gainesville - Gainesville R-V High School

Montana

Annabel B. Conger, Columbia Falls - Columbia Falls High School

Colin L. Norick, Columbia Falls - Columbia Falls High School

Nebraska

Marta R. Pulfer, Wayne - Wayne High School

Abram L. Turner, Lincoln - Lincoln Southeast High School

Nevada

Melissa J. Bak, Reno - Davidson Academy of Nevada

**Curtis Basa, Carson City - Carson High School

Ian M. Oh, Reno - Davidson Academy of Nevada

New Hampshire

**Connor Craige, Laconia - Gilford Middle High School

Ria A. Das, Nashua - Phillips Exeter Academy

Gavin T. Shilling, Bedford - The Derryfield School

New Jersey

**Sanjana Duggirala, East Windsor - Mercer Cty Tech Schools - Health Science Academy

Winona H. Guo, Princeton - Princeton High School

*Lianah Sta. Ana, Freehold - Howell High School

Gavin P. Lifrieri, Fort Lee - Fort Lee High School

*Benjamin Wenzelberg, Tenafly - Tenafly High School

New Mexico

Rohan S. Angadi, Clovis - Clovis High School

Faith Y. Koh, Los Alamos - Los Alamos High School

New York

Zachary J. Gold, Scarsdale - Ardsley High School

*Aaron Greenberg, Sunnyside - Fiorello H. Laguardia HS of Music and Art and the Performing Arts

Grace Hu, Jericho - Jericho Senior High School

*Juliana Missano, Lloyd Harbor - Keystone National High School

Ben S. Rhee, Syosset - Syosset High School

*Clayton Stephenson, Brooklyn - The Dalton School

North Carolina

*Alexa Bleasdale-Curnutte, Jackson Springs - Interlochen Arts Academy

**Joseph C. Richardson, Belvidere - Perquimans County High School

Charlotte M. Thomas, Lewisville - Forsyth Country Day School

Sreeram Venkat, Morrisville - The North Carolina School of Science & Mathematics

North Dakota

Mona M. Abdelrahman, Fargo - South High School

Martin L. Altenburg, Fargo - North High School

**Evan C. Welsh, Grand Forks - Grand Forks Central High School

Ohio

Regan N. Brady, Shaker Hts - Hathaway Brown School

Ian J. Doemling, Aurora - Aurora High School

Debolina Ghosh, Solon - Hathaway Brown School

*Isabella Pete, North Canton - Hoover High School

Michael J. Weaver, Westerville - Saint Charles Preparatory High School

Oklahoma

Grant M. Gebetsberger, Tulsa - Holland Hall School

Madelyn Haden, Newalla - Moore High School

**Jada Holliday, Broken Arrow - Broken Arrow High School

Oregon

Katherine Leblanc, Portland - Lincoln High School

Nikhil Murthy, Portland - The Catlin Gabel School

Pennsylvania

Julie L. Chen, Wexford - North Allegheny Senior High

Joseph R. Feffer, Boalsburg - State College Area High School

Puerto Rico

Enrique D. Latoni Morales, San Juan - Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola

Summer L. Powers, San Juan - St. John's School

Rhode IslandSydney Jenkins, Hope - Moses Brown School

Andrew T. Lee, Providence - Wheeler School

South Carolina

Jenning N. Chen, Columbia - Spring Valley High School

Devin B. Srivastava, Spartanburg - Spartanburg Day School

Frelicia N. Tucker, Aiken - Aiken High School

South Dakota

Jacksyn T. Bakeberg, Spearfish - Spearfish High School

Lexis M. Sherron, Sioux Falls - Brandon Valley High School

Tennessee

Dhilan Ramaprasad, Morristown - Morristown-Hamblen High School West

Barbara W. Xiong, Brentwood - University School of Nashville

Texas

*Todd Baker, Carrollton - Booker T. Washington HS for the Performing & Visual Arts

**Brittney E. Colbath, Copperas Cove - Copperas Cove High School

*Elle Cox, Houston - The High School for Performing & Visual Arts

*Nicholas Cummings, Richardson - Booker T. Washington HS for the Performing & Visual Arts

Gabriela Escalante, Shavano Park - Saint Mary's Hall

*Salvador Flores, Galena Park - Galena Park High School

Christian Giadolor, Rockwall - Rockwell Heath High School

Michael Mireles, Alton - IDEA Quest College Preparatory

Utah

**Anne Clark, Provo - Timpview High School

Raymond W. Li, Logan - Logan High School

Kathy Liu, Sandy - West High School

**Marin Murdock, Herriman - Herriman High School

Vermont

Anders Ode, Burlington - Burlington High School

Abigail Yu, S Burlington - Phillips Exeter Academy

Virginia

**Logan Apple, Winchester - Millbrook High School

Violet C. Felt, Vienna - Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology

Prathik Naidu, Potomac Falls - Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology

Washington

Christopher B. Chen, Sammamish - The Overlake School

Rebecca J. Scurlock, Seattle - Lakeside School

West VirginiaLandon M. Buckland, Beckley - Independence High School

Kathryn L. Wantlin, Elkview - Charleston Catholic High School

Wisconsin

Colin Gray-Hoehn, Brookfield - Brookfield East High School

**Dylon Pokorny, Waupun - Waupun Junior/Senior High School

Maria Thurow, Monticello - New Glarus High School

Wyoming

Anna Harris, Green River - Green River High School

Maxwell Ramsay-Burrough, Teton Village - Lawrenceville School

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[*] 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

Cody Fenwick contributed to this article.