Two Mill Valley High School seniors are candidates for the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.
The recognition, given by executive order of the president annually, is reserved for some of the most “distinguished graduating high school seniors” in the nation, according to a U.S. Presidential Scholars fact sheet.
Both Sarah Johnston and Dalton Gabbert of Mill Valley are now on the list of seniors that will be whittled down to finalists later this spring.
Students are invited to apply each year
- The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is a nationwide opportunity for graduating high school seniors exhibiting high-levels of academic achievement, artistic skills or aptitude in career and technical education programs.
- Johnston and Gabbert are both academic scholar candidates.
- Candidates must have high scores on the ACT or SAT and have to be invited to apply.
- “Being named a candidate for the 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholar Award is a recognition of Sarah’s and Dalton’s exceptional talents,” Gail Holder, Mill Valley principal, said in an emailed statement. “Their academic success combined with their demonstrated commitment to community service and leadership is why they are among the best high school students in the country.”
Just 161 students will be named Presidential Scholars
- About 5,000 students nationwide have been selected as candidates in 2023, including five from the Shawnee Mission School District and 27 from the Blue Valley School District.
- In March, the list will be whittled down to semifinalists based on submitted essays and academic records.
- From there, finalists will be selected, and a list of winners will be announced, usually about 161 students from across the country.
Past scholars have come from Johnson County
- Last year, two Johnson County graduating seniors were named Presidential Scholars — Gauri Yadav from Olathe North High School and Jordin Reese MacKenzie from Blue Valley North.
- In 2021, all three winners from Kansas came from Johnson County schools, including Charles Horner from Shawnee Mission South, Khushi Kohli from Olathe North and Aishani Saxena from Blue Valley West.
Keep reading: These Shawnee Mission seniors up for Presidential Scholars honor
