Jefferson City News

Three high school seniors from Missouri have been selected as part of the 59th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars. These students are among 161 scholars recognized nationwide for their achievements in academics, arts, and career and technical education.

The honored students from Missouri are Diep H. Phan from Farmington High School, Hannah N. Rice from Brunswick R-II High School, and Max Yang from Ladue Horton Watkins High School. This program has acknowledged over 8,000 top-performing students since it began in 1964. The Presidential Scholars Class of 2023 will be formally recognized later this summer.

Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven expressed her admiration for the students' accomplishments: “This is such an esteemed honor, and I applaud Hannah, Diep, and Max for their hard work and impressive achievements.” She added that their dedication to rigorous coursework has yielded results that will benefit them in their future endeavors.

Out of the approximately 3.7 million students expected to graduate high school this year, just over 5,000 qualified for consideration in the 2023 awards. Candidates were selected based on exceptional performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams or through nominations by Chief State School Officers and other organizations.

For a complete list of honorees and further details about the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, visit http://www.ed.gov/psp.