Students Named Presidential Scholars

A dozen Barrington High School students have been selected for the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholars Program in Rhode Island – one of the highest honors a high school student can receive.

Superintendent Robert McIntyre announced the students’ names at a recent School Committee meeting.

The Presidential Scholars: Evan Bulman, Joseph Donnelly, Brenden Forte, Holly Gildea, Olivia Griot, Olivia Justynski, Madeline Klinger, Stephen Lamontagne, Utkarsh Shah, Yechuan Tian, Kenneth Xiao and Feifan Zhou.

Approximately three-dozen students from across the state were selected this year. The Barrington students make up about 30 percent of the state scholars.

The Scholars Program started in 1964 with an executive order to recognize and honor some of the most distinguished graduating high school seniors in America. The program was expanded 15 years later to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts.

Several of the Presidential Scholars also were among the 10 high schools students earning designations as National Merit Finalists, McIntyre said.

The National Merit Finalists: Evan Bulman, Amy Entin, Holly Gildea, Olivia Griot, Olivia Justynski, Stephen Lamontagne, Utkarsh Shah, Yechuan Tian, Kenneth Xiao and Feifan Zhou.