Community Corner

Cheshire High Senior Earns Prestigious Honor as U.S. Presidential Scholar

Hard work and dedication have led senior Aneri Pattani to earn a place of a prestigious list of just 141 presidential scholars, the U.S. Department of Education announced this week.

Cheshire resident Aneri Pattani has earned herself a trip to the White House.

Pattani was one of 141 students nationwide, and one of just two from Connecticut, selected as a 2013 U.S Presidential Scholar, the U.S. Department of Education announced this week. Pattani, a senior at Cheshire High School, was selected from a group of 3,300 applicants eligible to apply based on strong SAT and ACT scores.

“She will be honored as one of the nation's top-performing students with the prestigious award given to honorees during a ceremony at the White House on June 16, when each honoree will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion presented by the President of the United States,” said Sue Coco, technology education teacher at the high school.

Coco, who was selected by Pattani as her most influential teacher, said in an email that the senior was more than deserving of the honor.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Monday that the prestigious award recognizes 141 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics or the arts.

"Presidential Scholars demonstrate the accomplishments that can be made when students challenge themselves, set the highest standards, and commit themselves to excellence," Duncan said in a press release. "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 U.S. Department of Education released the following on Monday regarding the presidential scholar award:

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by President Barack 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 3,300 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's nationwide YoungArts competition.

The 2013 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 from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large and 20 U.S. 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.

For the complete list of 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholars, click the link provided.

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