A few of these academic all-stars and what they want to study in college

Local students’ awards, their high school, and the subject they’d like to study in college, from left to right: Edwin Wojcik, National Merit Finalist, DSST Conservatory Green, molecular biology. Vikram Vasan, National Merit Finalist, DSST Montview, economics. Julia Rehring, Presidential Scholar Candidate & National Merit Finalist, Northfield HS, applied/computational mathematics and computer science. Guinevere Draut, Presidential Scholar Candidate, Denver School of the Arts, mathematics, music, and cognitive science or astronomy. Benjamin Parent, Presidential Scholar Candidate, GW HS, mechanical engineering.

A total of 34 students in six NE Denver High Schools were recognized in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program or the National Merit Scholarship Program.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 by executive order of the president to recognize some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments in academics, leadership, and service to school and community. It was subsequently expanded to include the arts and career and technical fields. Of the nearly 3.6 million students expected to graduate in 2021, 4,500 candidates were selected. Approximately 600 semifinalists are currently being selected, with 121 finalists to be announced in April, plus an additional 20 in the Arts and 20 in Career and Technical Education.

The private non-profit “National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) was established in 1955— a time in which there was concern that the United States was lagging behind in the Cold War scientific race, but the public was indifferent to rewarding intellectual accomplishment. NMSC was created to identify and honor scholastically talented American youth and to encourage them to develop their abilities to the fullest” (nationalmerit.org). Of the 1.5 million entrants to the National Merit Scholarship program, 15,000 advance to finalist and approximately 7,600 finalists win merit scholarships based on their academic record, the school’s curriculum and grading system, PSAT score, the high school official’s recommendation, and the student’s activities, leadership and essay.