THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Five Texas students, including two from The Woodlands, were named 2023 United States Presidential Scholars.
Two of the five went to the same school in the Houston area.
Siddhu Pachipala and Zhuo Qi Chen both attend The Woodlands College Park High School.
Full list of Texas scholars
- Siddhu Pachipala, The Woodlands College Park High School, The Woodlands, Texas
- Zhuo Qi Chen, The Woodlands College Park High School, The Woodlands, Texas
- Hannah Guan, BASIS San Antonio Shavano Campus, San Antonio, Texas
- Zariyah M. Perry, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts, Dallas, Texas. (*U.S. Presidential Scholar in Arts)
- Dallas – Cole Willis, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts, Dallas, Texas. (*U.S. Presidential Scholar in Arts)
What are the U.S. Presidential Scholars?
"The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic and technical excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as a demonstrated commitment to community service and leadership," the United States Department of Education said in a release.
Out of the nearly 4 million students expected to graduate from high school in 2023, more than 5,000 candidates qualified for the 2023 awards. They had to get good scores on the SAT or ACT exams or were nominated by chief state school officers, other partner recognition organizations and YoungArts, the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists.
"Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored over 8,000 of the nation’s top-performing students. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields," the United States Department of Education said in a release.
The students will be recognized this summer.