Twenty 2013 YoungArts Students Named Presidential Scholars in the Arts

As the exclusive nominating agency for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, the National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) congratulates the 49th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, announced earlier this month by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The 20 Scholars in the Arts, all 2013 YoungArts Winners, were nominated to The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars by YoungArts, and selected based on academic, civic and artistic achievement. The award, presented on behalf of the President of the United States, is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an artistically talented graduating high school senior. Each year, up to 141 high school seniors are recognized as U.S. Presidential Scholars for their accomplishments in academics and the arts.

"YoungArts is proud to be involved with this high honor and continue our 32-year tradition of supporting the next generation of young artists," said Paul T. Lehr, President & CEO of the National YoungArts Foundation. "I am consistently impressed by the talent of our Winners, which the 2013 Presidential Scholars in the Arts exemplify so well."

The 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts include published writers, recording artists, community leaders, volunteers, and first generation artists. They represent 11 states from across the country and are actors, dancers, filmmakers, musicians, visual artists, vocalists and writers. They join an illustrious group which includes Tony Award-nominated dancer and choreographer Desmond Richardson, American Ballet Theatre Chief Executive Officer Rachel Moore, novelist and National Book Award Finalist Allegra Goodman, Grammy Award-nominated violinist Jennifer Koh, BRAVO's Work of Art winner Abdi Farah, and OBIE Award-winning actress Donna Lynne Champlin.

"Presidential Scholars demonstrate the accomplishments that can be made when students challenge themselves, set the highest standards, and commit themselves to excellence," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "I'm honored to celebrate their creativity, hard work, and community service, and I encourage them-and all students-to continue to showcase the capacity for greatness in our nation's young people."

On Sunday, June 16, all Scholars will be honored at an award ceremony in Washington, D.C. and presented with a Presidential Scholar Medallion. That evening, an exhibition of the work of the visual artists, writers and cinematic arts scholars will open at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and will remain on view through Sunday, June 30th. On Monday, June 17 the dance, jazz, theater, music, and voice scholars will participate in a free public performance at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The performance will be streamed live on PBS' Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pbs) and YoungArts' website (www.youngarts.org).

The 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts are:

Name	Hometown	School	Discipline
Sarah Adams	Greer, SC	Eastside High School	Voice - Soprano
Aaron Bigeleisen	Pittsford, NY	McQuaid Jesuit High School	Voice - Baritone
Jeremy Corren	Beverly Hills, CA	Los Angeles County High School for the Arts	Jazz - Keyboard
Cameron Covell	Valley Village, CA	Los Angeles County High School for the Arts	Cinematic Arts
Redat Davison	Milwaukee, WI	Pius XI High School	Visual Arts
Jangwoo Eom	Gilbert, AZ	Highland High School	Music - Violin Cello
Katiuscia Gregoire	Miami Beach, FL	Design and Architecture Senior High	Visual Arts
Analisa Gutierrez	West Covina, CA	Los Angeles County High School for the Arts	Theater - Spoken
Sean Howe	Sylvania, OH	Toledo School for the Arts	Dance - Modern
Hilda Huang	Palo Alto, CA	Palo Alto Senior High School	Music - Piano
Daisy Jacobson	Miami, FL	Chadwick School	Dance - Ballet
Annika Jenkins	Virginia Beach, VA	Laurel Springs Gifted and Talented Academy	Music - Violin
Benjamin Kadie	Bellevue, WA	Interlake High School	Cinematic Arts
Mateo Nava	Miami, FL	Design and Architecture Senior High	Visual Arts
Mason Alexander Park	Los Angeles, CA	Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts	Theater - Spoken & Musical
Annyston Pennington	Amarillo, TX	Amarillo High School	Writing - Short Story
Elena Pinderhughes	Berkley, CA	Berkeley High School	Voice - Jazz
Laura Rashley	Greenville, SC	South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities	Writing - Poetry
Andrea Rodriguez	El Monte, CA	Los Angeles County High School for the Arts	Dance - Modern
Catherine Wong	Morristown, NJ	Morrison High School	Writing - Poetry

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