A Howard County student has been named one of 141 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the nation.
Richard Li, a senior at River Hill High School, is one of four Maryland students to receive the distinction. The other three Marylanders attend schools in the Washington, D.C. suburbs. The scholars will be honored in Washington, D.C. from June 19-22.
The students, who are chosen by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to school and community. Essays, school evaluations and transcripts are also used to determine the scholars.
“These student leaders and scholars show that setting high expectations and striving for excellence pays off,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said today when he made the announcement. “Their academic and artistic achievements reflect a sense of purpose that we should seek to instill in all students to prepare them for college, careers, civic responsibilities, and the challenges of today’s job market.”
Since the award's inception 46 years ago, more than 6,000 students have been honored. More than 3,000 candidates qualify annually for the award based on performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams, or by nomination through the nationwide YoungArts competition conducted by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.