Idaho nominations open for Presidential Scholars

Idaho high school seniors interested in being nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program are urged to submit applications to the State Department of Education by Oct. 25, 2017.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 by executive order of the president to recognize and honor some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students.

Seniors will be considered for automatic participation if they will graduate during the 2017-18 school year and scored exceptionally well on either the SAT or the ACT college admission test during the two-year window from September 2015 through October 2017. The U.S. Department of Education looks at test records in each state, and the top 20 male examinees and top 20 female examinees are used to identify the automatic candidates in each state. The minimum scores for automatic consideration for females are anticipated to be: ACT 136, old SAT 1510 or new SAT 1540. For males, those anticipated minimum scores are: ACT 139, old SAT 1540 or new SAT 1560.

In addition, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra may nominate up to 10 male and 10 female Idaho candidates who have demonstrated outstanding scholarship but have not been automatically selected. Students who have not been notified by the Presidential Scholars Program of their eligibility, and who would like to be considered for a nomination by Superintendent Ybarra, should:

- Submit an essay not to exceed 500 words describing what improvements they would make in some component of the educational system of the United States.

- Submit a self-assessment describing their personal characteristics, leadership and service activities in their school and community, their academic achievements and any special challenges or hurdles, if any, that the student has overcome while still achieving high academic success.

- Send a copy of their transcripts.

- Provide a letter of recommendation from a high school counselor, principal or teacher.

- Provide a separate page of contact information that includes:

1. The student’s name;

2. The student’s home mailing address;

3. The name and mailing address of the student’s high school;

4. The high school CEEB code.

Those five documents (essay, self-assessment, transcripts, recommendation and contact information. should be sent as separate attached PDFs in a single e-mail, to: keveritt@sde.idaho.gov.

Information: www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/index.html