Since 1983, each Presidential Scholar has been offered the opportunity to name his or her most influential teacher. The teacher chosen for recognition by Matesevac is Dr. Dora Bell, his AP Calculus BC teacher at Collins Hill High School.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our 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 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. Of the 3.6 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 5,200 candidates qualified for the 2018 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 2018 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, 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education. The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored nearly 7,500 of the nation’s top-performing students with the prestigious award given to honorees during the annual ceremony held in our nation’s capital.
Matesevac and the other 2018 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments in Washington, D.C., on June 24.
