Los Angeles Teen Mason Alexander Named 2013 Presidential Scholar in the Arts

Mason Alexander was recently a runner up finalist in the 2013 Jerry Herman Awards, has also been named a 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts and will be receiving an award from the President and performing at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC. This honor is the highest honor a high school senior can receive. Only 141 students are honored out of the millions graduating and from those only 20 are Arts Scholars.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has announced the selection of Mason Alexander Park of Los Angeles, California who attends Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in Los Angeles, as a 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholar.

Park is one of 141 outstanding American high school seniors that have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to school and community. The U.S. Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments in Washington D.C., from June 15-18.

"Presidential Scholars demonstrate the accomplishments that can be made when students challenge themselves, set the highest standards, and commit themselves to excellence," 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."

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by President Obama, selects honored scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals. Of the three million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 3,800 candidates qualified for the 2013 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams, and through nominations made by Chief State School Officers or the National YoungArts Foundation.

The 2013 Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large and 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored more than 6,000 of the nation's top-performing students with the prestigious award given to honorees during the annual ceremony in D.C. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts. Since 1983, each Presidential Scholar has been offered the opportunity to name his or her most influential teacher. Each distinguished teacher is honored with a personal letter from the Secretary of Education.

The teacher chosen for recognition by Park was William Goldyn of Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in Los Angeles, CA.

A complete list of 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholars is available at http://www.ed.gov/programs/psp/awards.html.

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