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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Announces
2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts
20
YoungArts winners named top high-school artists in the
nation for their superior academic and artistic
achievement, leadership and character
MIAMI,
FL (May 2, 2012) -
Today,
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
announced the names of the
20 U.S.
Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
These Scholars were nominated by YoungArts, a program of
the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA).
For
an
artistically talented graduating high school senior,
inclusion in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is
the highest honor that can be bestowed upon them. The
award is presented on behalf of the President of the
United States, and selection
is based upon academic, civic and artistic achievement.
Each year, 141 U.S. Presidential Scholars are
recognized, including up to 20 U.S. Presidential
Scholars in the Arts.
" The
students who are chosen as U.S. Presidential Scholars in
the Arts represent the nation's best in the visual,
literary and performing arts," says Paul T. Lehr,
YoungArts' Executive Director. "Our rigorous program
identifies the most talented and well-rounded candidates
each year, and I am proud to see our organization play
such an essential part in recognizing and developing
America's young artists and next generation of leaders."
The 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts
will be honored in Washington D.C. together with the
rest of the 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars during
National Recognition Weekend. The Scholars will travel
to Washington, DC to meet with government officials,
educators, authors, musicians and other accomplished
individuals. To commemorate their achievement the
Scholars are awarded the U.S. Presidential Scholars
medallion in a White House-sponsored ceremony.
The artists and writers will exhibit
their works at the Smithsonian American Art Museum on
Sunday, June 17, and perform at the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, June 18.
To be selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the
Arts, candidates must participate in and receive a
nomination from
YoungArts.
Each year, YoungArts receives up to 5,000 applications
for its national program. After a rigorous adjudication
process, the organization nominates 60 YoungArts
finalists for further consideration to the White House
Commission on Presidential Scholars.
Finally,
the Commission on Presidential Scholars, whose members
are appointed by the President, select up to 20 U.S.
Presidential Scholars in the Arts each year. YoungArts
is the exclusive path to the U.S. Presidential Scholars
in the Arts awards.
The 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts join an
illustrious group which includes Tony Award- nominated
dancer and choreographer
Desmond
Richardson,
American Ballet Theatre Executive Director
Rachel
Moore,
novelist and National Book Award Finalist
Allegra
Goodman,
Grammy Award-nominated violinist
Jennifer
Koh,
BRAVO?s Work of Art winner
Abdi
Farah,
and OBIE Award-winning actress
Donna
Lynne Champlin.
This year's U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts
represent eleven states and nine artistic disciplines
including cinematic arts, dance, jazz, music,
photography, theater, voice, visual arts and writing.
For a complete list, please see below. Photos and bios
are available upon request. Interviews can be
facilitated.
The 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts are:
|
Name |
Hometown |
Discipline |
School |
|
Nicole Acton |
Interlochen, MI |
Writing ? Short Story |
Interlochen Arts Academy |
|
Michelle Ang |
Fairfield, CA |
Theater ? Spoken |
School of the Arts |
|
Alex Beyer |
Fairfield, CT |
Music ? Piano |
Fairfield Warde High School |
|
Nadia Cook-Loshilov |
Brooklyn, NY |
Theater ? Spoken |
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art
and Performing Arts |
|
Brannon Dorsey |
Richmond, VA |
Photography |
Appomattox Regional Governor?s School for the
Arts and Technology |
|
Bryan Duerfeldt |
Bloomington, MI |
Music ? Recorder/Woodwinds |
Thomas Jefferson Senior High School |
|
Daniel Frantz |
Downingtown, PA |
Cinematic Arts |
Downingtown High School West Campus |
|
Kamry Goodwin |
Greenville, SC |
Writing ? Short Story |
South Carolina Governor?s School for the Arts &
Humanities |
|
Kimberly Hou |
Arlington, VA |
Music ? Piano |
Home Schooled |
|
Martin Jaffe |
Conway, MA |
Jazz ? Double Bass |
Northfield Mount Hermon |
|
Kelley Kessell |
Cutler Bay, FL |
Voice ? Popular |
New World School of the Arts |
|
Amanda Krische |
Brooklyn, NY |
Dance ? Modern |
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art
and Performing Arts |
|
Kelsey Lauritano |
San Francisco, CA |
Voice ?
Mezzo Soprano |
School of the Arts |
|
Michael Leadbetter |
Rochester, NY |
Theater ?
Spoken and Musical |
Greece Athena High School |
|
Da?Shawn Mosley |
Greenville, SC |
Writing ? Creative
Non-Fiction |
South Carolina Governor?s School for the Arts &
Humanities |
|
Taylor Rodman |
Coppell, TX |
Dance ? Choreography |
Booker T. Washington High School for the
Performing and Visual Arts |
|
Laila Smith |
San Jose, CA |
Voice ? Jazz |
Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School |
|
Jessica Suhr |
Miami, FL |
Visual Arts |
New World School of the Arts |
|
Emma Townley-Smith |
Aliso Viejo, CA |
Writing ? Short Story |
Orange County High School of the Arts |
|
Lathan Vargason |
Lewisport, KY |
Visual Arts |
Hancock County High School |
About
YoungArts:
YoungArts is the core program of the National Foundation
for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) and the signature
national program that that recognizes and supports
America's most talented young artists in the visual,
literary and performing arts. The organization's mission
is to identify emerging artists, provide educational
enrichment and assistance in their pursuit of the arts,
and to raise the appreciation for and support of the
arts in American society.
Dedicated to inspiring and nurturing young artists,
YoungArts was founded in 1981 by businessman and
visionary, the late Ted Arison, and his wife Lin. The
program identifies the next generation of emerging
artists and contributes to the cultural vitality of the
nation by investing in the artistic development of
thousands of gifted artists in nine disciplines in the
visual, literary and performing arts. At the request of
The Commission on Presidential Scholars, which is
appointed by the President of the United States,
YoungArts is the exclusive path to the U.S. Presidential
Scholars in the Arts.
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