Vermont high school seniors selected for Presidential Scholars Program

Forty-six Vermont high school seniors have been nominated as candidates for the US Presidential Scholars Program for 2013. Candidates are selected primarily on their performance on the ACT or SAT standardized tests. Of the 3.2 million high school seniors in the US, only about 3,000, or fewer than one in 1,000, are selected as candidates for the honor.

The program was established in 1964, by executive order of President Johnson, to recognize and honor some of the nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. Each year, up to 141 students are named by the US Department of Education as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.

Here is the list of finalists from Vermont:

VT ‐ Arlington ‐ Eliza R. Farley, Berkshire School

VT ‐ Brattleboro ‐ Sam A. Gartenstein, Brattleboro Union High School

VT ‐ Brattleboro ‐ Ansel Notman‐Wilmerdi, Leland & Gray Union High Sch

VT ‐ Bristol ‐ Isabel C. Mcgrory‐Klyza, Mount Abraham Union High School

VT ‐ Bristol ‐ Forrest B. Wallace, Mount Abraham Union High School

VT ‐ Burlington ‐ Quincy P. Cundiff‐Kopplin, Burlington High School

VT ‐ Burlington ‐ Rebecca L. Mahany, Rice Memorial High School

VT ‐ Charlotte ‐ Carolyn P. Woodruff, Champlain Valley Union High School

VT ‐ Cornwall ‐ Malcolm S. Groves, Middlebury Union High School

VT ‐ Danby ‐ Julia C. Lees, The Long Trail School

VT ‐ Dorset ‐ Amelia H. Salsgiver, Burr and Burton Seminary

VT ‐ East Calais ‐ Folena J. De Geus, U‐32 Junior/Senior High School

VT ‐ Essex ‐ Sossina R. Gutema, Essex High School

VT ‐ Essex Jct ‐ Lee D. Murphy, Essex High School

VT ‐ Essex Junction ‐ Sarah B. Bigelow, Essex High School

VT ‐ Essex Junction ‐ Hillary E. Danis, Essex High School

VT ‐ Essex Junction ‐ Everett O'Malley, Essex High School

VT ‐ Essex Junction ‐ Timothy F. Rizvanov, Essex High School

VT ‐ Jericho ‐ Joseph F. Adkisson, Mount Mansfield Union High School

VT ‐ Jericho ‐ Jeremy B. Carter, Mount Mansfield Union High School

VT ‐ Jericho ‐ Sean W. O'Connor, Mount Mansfield Union High School

VT ‐ Middlebury ‐ David R. Burt, Middlebury Union High School

VT ‐ Middlebury ‐ Emma L. Craven‐Matthews, Middlebury Union High School

VT ‐ Middlebury ‐ Nora E. Mclaughlin, Middlebury Union High School

VT ‐ Montpelier ‐ Julia H. Gilbert, Montpelier High School

VT ‐ Norwich ‐ Gwynn G. Lyons, Hanover High School

VT ‐ Norwich ‐ Samuel J. Merrens, Hanover High School

VT ‐ Norwich ‐ Melanie S. Subbiah, Hanover High School

VT ‐ Peacham ‐ David R. Fickes, St. Johnsbury Academy

VT ‐ Plainfield ‐ Clare H. Neal, St. Johnsbury Academy

VT ‐ Richmond ‐ Michael J. Lawler, Mount Mansfield Union High School

VT ‐ Rutland ‐ Josh J. Wight, Rutland High School

VT ‐ Saint Albans ‐ Ashleigh N. Peterson, Bellows Free Academy

VT ‐ South Burlington ‐ Owen P. Lyons, Rice Memorial High School

VT ‐ South Burlington ‐ Avni Nahar, South Burlington High School

VT ‐ South Burlington ‐ Aleksandra K. Zakrzewska, South Burlington High School

VT ‐ South Burlington ‐ Eliza J. Alvarez, South Burlington High School

VT ‐ South Burlington ‐ William C. Gregoire, South Burlington High School

VT ‐ South Burlington ‐ Katherine R. Merrick, South Burlington High School

VT ‐ South Royalton ‐ Abigail J. Dutton, Sharon Academy

VT ‐ St George ‐ Monica L. Barker, Burlington High School

VT ‐ Warren ‐ Henry C. Anderson, Green Mountain Valley School

VT ‐ Waterville ‐ Lucy E. Rogers, Lamoille Union High School

VT ‐ Williston ‐ Andrea A. Joseph, Champlain Valley Union High School

VT ‐ Williston ‐ Jonathan I. Liebman, Champlain Valley Union High School

VT ‐ Williston ‐ Conor M. McQuiston, Champlain Valley Union High School