Novato High Students Earn Prestigious Awards

Chuxi Pan and Laila Smith are among the students doing proud — as well as our entire city.

The California Department of Education announced this week that Pan has been selected as the first alternate to attend the prestigious 2012 National Youth Science Camp, a residential program that honors and challenges two graduating high school students from each state. The CDE selected four California students, two as delegates and two as alternates. The alternates serve if the delegates are unable to participate. All four students were selected because of their superior academic proficiency in math and the sciences, leadership abilities, and social maturity.

Smith, a jazz singer at the Marin School of the Arts, was among 141 high school seniors nationwide to be named Presidential Scholars by the U.S. Department of Education. The 48th class of Presidential Scholars recognizes students for their accomplishments in the academics or the arts. Smith was one of just 20 students across the nation to be named a Presidential Scholar of the Arts. 

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by President Obama, selects honored scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals. Of the 3 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 3,300 candidates qualified for the 2012 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 Foundation for Advancement in the Arts nationwide YoungArts competition.

The 2012 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 and 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts. The 2012 ceremony will be on June 16, when each honoree will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion. 

Source: Novato Unified School District