Two students from Palo Alto High School are eligible to compete with high school seniors nationwide for a spot in the United States Presidential Scholars Program this year, an honor for students demonstrating strong academic or creative achievement.
Seniors Kevin Hu and Jason Willick have been selected as candidates for the invitation-only recognition program, according to the list of 2011 Candidates published by the U.S. Department of Education. Both Hu and Willick were invited to participate based on their academic achievement, gauged by ACT or SAT scores.
Each year, thousands of high-performing high-school seniors are nominated for Presidential Scholar. Students ultimately named Presidential Scholars receive a paid trip to Washington, D.C., with the opportunity to meet fellow students as well as important national and international figures, according to the Presidential Scholar website.
Hu said that, if selected, he would look forward to meeting prominent individuals.
“My reaction to receiving the [invitation] letter was something like, ‘Oh, I should probably apply for this; going to Washington, D.C., and meeting the president sounds pretty fun.’ ”
Conversely, Willick holds some reservations about applying for the program.
“I think there are something like a hundred [candidates] from California, and only a few are going to be chosen [as Presidential Scholar],” Willick said. “It’s an extraordinarily long and detailed application process. I’m not sure I want to apply because it’s a lot of work and the chances of getting chosen are slim.”
Students who make the semifinals will be notified in April, and Presidential Scholars will be notified in May, according to the Presidential Scholar website.
Editor’s Note: Jason Willick is a member of The Paly Voice.