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PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS
Each year, 20 students are named Presidential Scholars in the Arts. NFAA
is the exclusive nominating
organization to the Presidential
Scholars in the Arts program. At
the request of the Commission on Presidential Scholars, NFAA
nominates up to 60 youngARTS Finalists each year.
From this group of nominees, the Commission selects 20 to be named Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
Press Release for the 2009 Presidential Scholars in the Arts Winners
NATION’S BEST YOUNG ARTISTS TO BE HONORED BY THE WHITE HOUSE!
20 youngARTS™ Finalists Named Presidential Scholars in the Arts, Winners to Perform at Prestigious Kennedy Center and Exhibit at Smithsonian American Art Museum
MIAMI (May 4, 2009) During difficult times it can be hard to find promising signs for our country’s future.
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) however, has news to the contrary.
Twenty of NFAA’s youngARTS™ Finalists have just been named Presidential Scholars in the Arts, which offers great hope for the arts in America. After anxiously waiting for nearly three months to hear the results, these
exceptionally talented students have officially been named Presidential Scholars in the Arts – the highest honor bestowed on the nation’s graduating high school seniors – by U.S. Department of Education and The Commission on
Presidential Scholars. Dedication and commitment to their academics, combined with brilliant artistic abilities has helped these twenty youngARTS Finalists prove that they are the top student artists in the nation, a truly
extraordinary achievement. The newly named Presidential Scholars in the Arts will be honored in a highly anticipated
White House ceremony in June where President Obama may be on hand to congratulate the Scholars and present them
with their medallions. In addition, the artists will exhibit their artwork at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
From Florida to Oregon and Minnesota to Mississippi, from the inner city to rural America, these 20 remarkable student artists represent 17 states and nine artistic disciplines including Cinematic Arts, Dance, Jazz, Photography,
Music, Theater, Voice, Visual Arts and Writing. Each took their own unique path to receiving this honor but their dedication to academic and artistic excellence and a strong support system of family, teachers and friends is the
common thread binding them together.
This outstanding achievement comes as a direct result of their participation in the prestigious youngARTS Week. NFAA, through its youngARTS Program, is the sole nominating agency for the division of the U.S. Department
of Education and the Presidential Scholars in the Arts. Each year, NFAA begins with more than 6,000 applicants to its youngARTS Program and through a rigorous adjudication process nominates 60 youngARTS Finalists for consideration
by the Commission on Presidential Scholars, from which 20 are ultimately named Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
“I am so proud of the 2009 Presidential Scholars in the Arts,” Christina DePaul, NFAA President and CEO says. “Everything they have accomplished in such a short amount of time is truly remarkable, they are the best of the best and
I am thrilled to see them get the recognition they deserve.”
Being among the select few named as Presidential Scholar in the Arts helps to open many doors for these students. Doors that may not have been known to them were it not for their passion and dedication to the arts and their
involvement in NFAA’s youngARTS Program. In an era of shrinking budgets, the arts are often the first programs cut by local school districts, students and parents are often left without resources to develop these skills to their
full potential.
Added DePaul, “We, as a nation, benefit from the progressive thinking of our artistic leaders. Whether our Presidential Scholars in the Arts choose to embark on a traditional career in the arts or choose something else entirely,
the creative skills and innovative thinking that a lifetime spent in the arts fosters will be critical not only to their individual success but to that of our nation in the years to come.”
The 2009 class of Presidential Scholars in the Arts joins an illustrious fraternity which includes Tony Award nominated dancer and choreographer Desmond Richardson, American Ballet Theatre Executive Director Rachel Moore, novelist
and National Book Award Finalist Allegra Goodman, Grammy Award nominated violin soloist Jennifer Koh, OBIE Award-winning actress Donna Lynne Champlin and acclaimed visual artist Kevin Berlin.
Inclusion in the Presidential Scholars Program, now in its 45th year, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Each year 141 Scholars, including up to 20 Scholars in the Arts, are selected on the
basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character and involvement in community and school activities. This year, over 3,000 students are eligible for the program’s academic component,
based on outstanding scores on the SAT or ACT exam. Of these, 121 will be selected as Presidential Scholars.
Press Release for 2009 Presidential Scholars in the Arts Semi Finalists
youngARTS™ FINALISTS ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE WHITE HOUSE!
The Presidential Scholar in the Arts Semi-Finalist Nominations Are In!
MIAMI (April 2009) – Forty eight youngARTS™ Finalists have just been named Semi-Finalists to become Presidential Scholars in the Arts. These exceptional students have qualified for the final round of considerations, which is an extraordinary achievement. The Commission on Presidential Scholars, a division of the U.S. Department of Education, has the daunting task of narrowing the list down from the original 60 nominees to the 48 Semi-Finalists. In the end, 20 talented artists will ultimately be named Presidential Scholars in the Arts and will be honored at the White House as well as show their artwork at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in June. The final list of the 20 youngARTS Finalists, to be named Presidential Scholars in the Arts, will be officially announced on Monday May 4, 2009.
For now, it is a distinct honor for these students to be selected as Semi-Finalists. This outstanding achievement comes as a direct result of their participation in the prestigious youngARTS Week. The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA), through its youngARTS Program, is the sole nominating agency for this division of the U.S. Department of Education and the Presidential Scholars in the Arts. Each year, NFAA begins with more than 6,000 applicants to its youngARTS Program and through a rigorous adjudication process ultimately nominates 60 youngARTS Finalists for consideration by the Commission on Presidential Scholars, from which these students have received the remarkable recognition as Semi-Finalists.
Christina DePaul, the President and CEO of youngARTS says, “I am thrilled to witness their success. This is an incredible honor for our talented youngARTS Finalists and just the beginning for these students; they have proven without a doubt that they are the very best in the nation.” The students selected as Presidential Scholars in the Arts stand toe to toe with the most brilliant minds in our country. They represent the leaders of the future and the top one percent of student artists in our nation. The President himself is expected to honor all the Presidential Scholars at a White House ceremony which will include the Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
youngARTS celebrates and rewards exceptional student artists from across the U.S. in the performing, literary and visual arts. In order to be considered for the Presidential Scholar in the Arts distinction, student artists must be named a Finalist in the NFAA’s youngARTS Program.
Inclusion in the Presidential Scholars Program, now in its 45th year, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Each year 141 Scholars, including up to 20 Scholars in the Arts, are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character and involvement in community and school activities. This year, over 3,000 students are eligible for the program’s academic component, based on outstanding scores on the SAT or ACT exam. Of these, 121 will be selected as Presidential Scholars.
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Click here for The US Department of Education and a complete list of all 2009 Presidential Scholars
2009 Presidential Scholars in the Arts Winners
Cinematic Arts
Holden M. Brown, Mandeville, LA
Dance
Ernest F. Baker II, Opa-Locka, FL
Daniel Mitra, Woodstock Valley, CT
Jazz
Kathryn L. Davis, West Linn, OR
Music/Instrumental
Andrea C. Jarrett, Saline, MI
Leann N. Osterkamp, Boulder, CO
Nathaniel P. West, Columbus, OH
Allen Yueh, Bridgewater, NJ
Voice
Joshua A. Arky, Brooklyn, NY
Julian A. Cook, Chicago, IL
Photography
Julia A. Kellman, Palisades, CA
Annie M. Wentzell, Ocean Springs, MS
Theater
Rachel A. Clausen, Moorhead, MN
Steven L. Johnson, Rockford, IL
Devyn Tyler, Pearland, TX
Visual Arts
Priscilla S. Aleman, Miami Lakes, FL
Peter C. Ferguson, Fairfield, PA
Meagan C. Jenigen, Richmond, VA
Writing
Celia D. Bell, Baltimore, MD
Maggie Millner, Cherry Valley, NY
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