ROSEDALE, MD—U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona this week announced the 57th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, recognizing 161 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields.

A Baltimore County student who lives in Rosedale made the list.

“The 2021 Presidential Scholars represent extraordinary achievements for our extraordinary times,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “I am delighted to join President Biden in saluting these outstanding young people for their achievements, service, character and continued pursuit of excellence. Their examples make me proud and hopeful about the future. Honoring them can remind us all of the great potential in each new generation and renew our commitment to helping them achieve their dreams.”

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic and technical excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

Of the 3.6 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 6,000 candidates qualified for the 2021 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT or ACT exams or through nominations made by Chief State School Officers, other partner recognition organizations and the National YoungArts Foundation‘s nationwide YoungArts™ program.

As directed by Presidential Executive Order, the 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 Scholars in the arts and 20 Scholars in career and technical education.

Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored over 7,600 of the nation’s top-performing students. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields.

In all, five Maryland students made the list, including Avinash J. Thakkar, who lives in Rosedale and attends McDonogh School in Owings Mills.

The Presidential Scholars Class of 2021 will be recognized for their outstanding achievement this summer.

A complete list of 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholars follows and is also available at http://www.ed.gov/psp.

**

U.S. Presidential Scholars Class of 2021
* Scholar for U.S. Presidential Scholar in Arts.

** Scholar for U.S Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education.

Alabama
AL – Gregory T. Li, Spanish Fort – Alabama School of Mathematics and Science

AL – Soojin Park, Auburn – Auburn High School

Alaska
AK – Alex Prayner, Wasilla – Mat-Su Career and Technical High School

AK – Parker Emma Rabinowitz, Girdwood – Hawaii Preparatory Academy

Americans Abroad
AA – Haddy Elie Alchaer, Beirut – International College

AA – Victoria Nicole Maniego Santos, Saipan – Mount Carmel High School

Arizona
AZ – Viraj Mehta, Scottsdale – BASIS Scottsdale Charter

**AZ – Suhani Patel, Peoria – Mountain Ridge High School

AZ – Danielle Sherman, Scottsdale – Desert Mountain High School

Arkansas
AR – Alison Sue-Jeanne Jang, Bentonville – Bentonville High School

AR – Felix Zhan, Fayetteville – Clark High School

California
*CA – Grace Huh, San Jose – Lynbrook High School

CA – Donovan Julian Jasper, Granite Bay – Jesuit High School

CA – Eshani Jha, San Jose – Lynbrook High School

*CA – Allison Sky Park, Sherman Oaks – Harvard-Westlake School

*CA – Arya Pratap, Fremont – Saint Francis High School

*CA – Charlotte Dawn Sedaka, Sherman Oaks – Viewpoint School

CA – Diya Sarah Theodore, Riverside – Redlands High School

*CA – Parker Van Ostrand, Sacramento – C. K. McClatchy High School

CA – Michael Zhao, San Jose – Lynbrook High School

Colorado
*CO – Whitney Blue, Boulder – Fairview High School

CO – Nicole Yee Chen, Greenwood Village – Cherry Creek High School

CO – Kayson M Marler, Loveland – Loveland High School

Connecticut
CT – Rachel S. Brooks, Trumbull – Christian Heritage School

CT – Colin B. Speaker, Greenwich – Greenwich High School

Delaware
DE – Patrick Stratton Campbell, Wilmington – Brandywine High School

**DE – Rohan P Kanchana, Hockessin – Newark Charter Junior/Senior High School

DE – Risha Kumar, Wilmington – Cab Calloway School of the Arts High School

DE – Reece Alexander Ratliff, Wilmington – Tower Hill School

**DE – Divita Taduvayi, Bear – MOT Charter High School

District of Columbia
DC – Stephen Thomas Mirabello, Washington – School Without Walls

DC – Tess I Weinreich, Washington – The Potomac School

Florida
FL – Ellen Choi, Melbourne – Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy

FL – Rohan R Davidi, Tallahassee – James S. Rickards High School

*FL – Jalynn Jaielle McDuffey, Miami – Coral Reef Senior High School

*FL – Is Perlman, Miami Beach – Design & Architecture Senior High School

*FL – Stephen Adam Savage, Port St. Lucie – Savage Home School

**FL – Elyse V. Soracco, St. Johns – Creekside High School

*FL – Elyse Yvonne Thomas, Miami – School for Advanced Studies-Wolfson

**FL – Barrett Ryan Young, Branford – Branford High School

Georgia
GA – Aaron Daniel Altamirano Dino, Saint Marys – Camden County High School

GA – Divya Nori, Roswell – Milton High School

Hawaii
HI – Joshua H. Park, Honolulu – Iolani School

HI – Cosette Ting-Hua Wu, Honolulu – Punahou School

Idaho
ID – Katherine E. Hebdon, Nampa – Skyview High School

ID – Jaston B. McClure, Moscow – Moscow High School

Illinois
IL – Sarah Aline McEvers, White Hall – North Greene High School

IL – Louis Peacemaker Mukama, Chicago – Phillips Exeter Academy

IL – Pavan Venkatesh Pandurangi, Palatine – William Fremd High School

Indiana
IN – Kobe Chen, Fort Wayne – Homestead High School

IN – Zoe Edwards, Carmel – Carmel High School

Iowa
IA – Dorothy M Junginger, West Des Moines – Valley High School

**IA – Molly Ann Niewoehner, Hawkeye – Sumner-Fredericksburg High School

IA – Lucas Ian Pierce, Nashua – Nashua Plainfield High School

Kansas
KS – Charles B. Horner, Overland Park – Shawnee Mission South High School

KS – Khushi Kohli, Overland Park – Olathe North High School

KS – Aishani Saxena, Stilwell – Blue Valley West High School

Kentucky
KY – Sarah Belcher, Dorton – Pikeville High School

KY – Justin Michael Burch, Prospect – St. Xavier High School

Louisiana
LA – Eric Jaron Jones, St. Rose – Destrehan High School

LA – Ju-Woo Nho, Baton Rouge – Baton Rouge Magnet High School

Maine
ME – Devon Michael Hunter, Orrington – John Bapst Memorial High School

ME – Aislynn K Worden, Springvale – Sanford High School

Maryland
MD – Marvin Li, Salisbury – James M Bennett High School

MD – Saanika Mahashetty, Boyds – Richard Montgomery High School

**MD – Sahil Patel, Waldorf – North Point High School

MD – Avinash J. Thakkar, Rosedale – McDonogh School

**MD – Kathy Yao, Lutherville – Dulaney High School

Massachusetts
**MA – Julie A Canuto-Depina, Weymouth – Southeastern Regional Vocational-Tech High School

*MA – Maria Isabella Carpenter, Wenham – Governor Dummer Academy

MA – Caroline Curran, Pocasset – Sturgis Charter School

*MA – Andrew Harris, Concord – Middlesex School

*MA – Arden E. Lloyd, Amherst – Amherst Regional High School

MA – Ritvik Chandra Pulya, Acton – Acton-Boxborough Regional High School

MA – Kevin Wen, Somerville – Somerville High School

Michigan
*MI – Calvin R. Hinds, Wayland – Interlochen Arts Academy

MI – Saaim Ali Khan, Troy – Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School

**MI – Andrea Maizy, Warren – Center Line High School

MI – Shriya Reddy, Northville – Northville High School

MI – Shriya S Yarlagadda, Grand Blanc – Grand Blanc Community School

Minnesota
*MN – Madelyn Dietz, Saint Paul – Interlochen Arts Academy

MN – Lucas Scott Eggers, Rochester – Choate Rosemary Hall

MN – Esperanza Lee, Saint Paul – Woodbury High School

Mississippi
MS – Emmanuelle Rachel Teng, Oxford – Oxford High School

MS – Matthew Landon Yin, Madison – Madison Central High School

Missouri
**MO – Justin David Eddy, Rocheport – David H. Hickman High School

MO – Janvi Huria, Chesterfield – Marquette High School

MO – Sri Jaladi, Creve Coeur – Parkway West High School

MO – Rohith K Ryali, Ballwin – Lafayette High School

**MO – Sydney Marie Stundebeck, Salisbury – Salisbury R-Iv High School

Montana
MT – Claire Anne Downing, Helena – Helena High School

MT – John Cody Gilbert, Moore – Hobson Public School

Nebraska
*NE – Ramya Iyer, Omaha – Westside High School

NE – Lucas G Niewohner, Herman – Tekamah-Herman High School

NE – Trishna Aishani Srikumar, Elkhorn – Brownell-Talbot School

Nevada
NV – Derek Lin Chien, Reno – Davidson Academy of Nevada

NV – Priyanka Senthil, Reno – Davidson Academy of Nevada

New Hampshire
NH – Fahim Ahmed, Goffstown – Goffstown Area High School

NH – Rebecca Zhu, Nashua – Nashua Senior High School South

New Jersey
NJ – Youssef Abdelhalim, Hillsborough – Hillsborough High School

NJ – Lara Ozkan, River Edge – Bergen County Academies

NJ – Akhil C Paulraj, Plainsboro – West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North

*NJ – Katherine Vandermel, Closter – Bergen County Academies

New Mexico
NM – Melinda Leyuan Modisette, Albuquerque – Albuquerque Academy

NM – Faris Irwin Wald, Santa Fe – Santa Fe High Sch South Campus

New York
NY – Julia K. Brand, Purchase – Riverdale Country School

NY – Owen M. Dugan, Sleepy Hollow – Dugan Home-School

NY – Shubh Khanna, New York – Hunter College High School

NY – Kristen Meola, New York – United Nations Internatl Sch

North Carolina
NC – Ijay Narang, Charlotte – Ardrey Kell High School

NC – Nrithya P Renganathan, Cary – The North Carolina School of Science & Mathematics

NC – Pratyush Seshadri, Cary – Raleigh Charter High School

North Dakota
ND – Dennis Du, Grand Forks – Grand Forks Central High School

ND – Ellen Anna Gregoire, Larimore – Larimore Public High School

Ohio
OH – Maple Buescher, Cleveland Heights – Cleveland Heights High School

OH – Aidan J Finn, Cincinnati – Saint Xavier High School

*OH – Kasey M. Shao, Cincinnati – Walnut Hills High School

Oklahoma
OK – Sean Michael Kuehn, Sand Springs – Charles Page High School

OK – Emily Jordan Benelli Ward, Locust Grove – Locust Grove High School

Oregon
OR – Kevin Dai, Corvallis – Crescent Valley High School

OR – Kaitlyn J. Kim, Ashland – Ashland High School

Pennsylvania
PA – Catherine A. Cavanaugh, Lansdale – North Penn High School

PA – Richard Su Fang, Newtown – Council Rock High School

**PA – Raymond A. Slifer, Quakertown – Quakertown Senior High School

Puerto Rico
PR – Alejandra Sofía Lozada Santana, San Juan – Baldwin School of Puerto Rico

PR – Ricardo Shawki Marrero-Alattar, Dorado – St. John’s School

**PR – Nicolas Taj Proskauer Valerio, Aguadilla – Ramey School

Rhode Island
RI – Brooke L Newbury, West Warwick – St Mary Academy – Bay View

RI – Eric Tang, Providence – Wheeler School

RI – Erik Y. Wang, Providence – Phillips Academy

South Carolina
SC – Lily Lassiter, Charleston – Academic Magnet High School

SC – Jacob T Price, Spartanburg – Spartanburg High School

South Dakota
SD – Riley James Nold, Sioux Falls – Washington High School

SD – Brooklyn Kate Pater, Sioux Falls – Sioux Falls Christian High School

SD – Samantha Timanus, Gregory – Gregory High School

Tennessee
TN – Nelson D. Rose, Brentwood – Brentwood High School

TN – Seo Yoon Yang, Signal Mountain – Signal Mountain Middle High School

*TN – Alora E Young, Brentwood – Hillsboro High School

Texas
*TX – Sarah Grace Kimberly, Friendswood – The High School for Performing & Visual Arts

**TX – Sneha Sunil Shenoy, Spring – Klein High School

**TX – Christian Tamez, Del Rio – Del Rio High School

TX – Labiba Uddin, Frisco – Dr Justin Wakeland High School

TX – Derek Pan Wong, San Antonio – Keystone School

Utah
UT – Dallin Tyler Christensen, Pleasant View – Leadership Academy of Utah

**UT – Nathan Daniel Ford, Lehi – Cedar Valley High School

UT – Mahider Tadesse, Salt Lake City – East High School

Vermont
VT – Theresa J. Christiansen, Richmond – Mount Mansfield Union High School

VT – John Cotter, Mendon – Rutland High School

Virginia
VA – Shreya Somayajula, Ashburn – Stone Bridge High School

VA – Jason Wang, Vienna – Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology

Washington
WA – William R. Murray, Bellevue – Lakeside School

WA – Tessa Claire Pierce, Newport – Newport High School

**WA – Molly Jane Williams, Clarkston – Charles F Adams High School

West Virginia
WV – Kendra S Goeddert, Maxwelton – Greenbrier East High School

WV – Nicholas G Murphy, Washington – Parkersburg South High School

**WV – Zara Zervos, Moundsville – John Marshall High School

Wisconsin
WI – Neil Sai Dogra, Mequon – University School of Milwaukee

WI – Phoebe J. Jeske, Madison – Oregon High School

**WI – Amara Lynn Livingston, Buffalo City – Cochrane Fountain City High School

Wyoming
WY – Jessica L. Petri, Green River – Green River High School

WY – Siler J Weaver, Evanston – Evanston High School

State Superintendent Karen B. Salmon, Ph.D. and MSDE congratulate Maryland's five U.S. Presidential Scholars for their outstanding achievements in academics, the arts and CTE, and wish them the best of success in their future endeavors. Learn More: https://t.co/dGVIAu6wYX pic.twitter.com/8w7fj1utXo

— MdPublicSchools (@MdPublicSchools) May 13, 2021