5 Southern California high schoolers named 2024 Presidential Scholars

Five high schoolers from Southern California are being recognized at the national level for their excellence in academics.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona released this year’s list of Presidential Scholars, which recognizes high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, as well as the arts and career and technical education fields.

“The 161 high school seniors selected for the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Presidential Scholars represent the best of our nation’s schools and inspire hope in the bright future of this country,” Cardona said in a news release.

Of those 161 esteemed seniors, nine are from California, including five that went to school in Southern California.

The five SoCal seniors are Ian Byul Kim of Glendale who attends Harvard-Westlake School in North Hollywood; Edward Chen of Irvine who attends Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana; Kyle Tianshi of San Diego who attends the Cambridge School; Caitlyn Haein Park of Santa Clarita who attends Saugus High School; and Erin Park of Chino who attends Chino High School.

Byul Kim, Chen and Erin Park were named Presidential Scholars in the Arts and Haein Park was named a Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education.

Presidential Scholars are selected based on their performance in school, essays submitted for consideration, school evaluation and transcripts, as well as “a demonstrated commitment to community service and leadership.”

More 5,700 of the nearly 4 million high school seniors expected to graduate this year qualified for the honor.

The 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of two students from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and U.S. families who are living abroad. Additionally, 15 are selected “at-large,” 20 are chosen for recognition in the arts and 20 more are selected for recognition in career and technical education.

As directed by Presidential Executive Order, the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of two students from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 scholars in the arts and 20 scholars in career and technical education.

Since being established in 1964, the Presidential Scholars Program has honored more than 8,200 of the nation’s students. Students of the arts were officially made eligible for the award in 1979, and the program was extended again in 2015 to include those in career and technical education.

“On behalf of President Biden, I am delighted to celebrate their accomplishments, and encourage these scholars to continue to aim high, lift up others, and embrace opportunities to lead,” Cardona added.

The 2024 class of Presidential Scholars will be formally recognized this summer in an online ceremony.

A complete list of this year’s honorees can be found online.

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