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U.S. Presidential Scholars Named

  • Ahryanna McGuirk from Kalaheo High School and Maile-Lei Ji of Kealakehe High School were recently named U.S. Presidential Scholars, marking a historic moment for the Hawaii Department of Education. This is the first time two students from the same graduating class in Hawaii have received this national distinction.  

    Both students are among 161 high school seniors nationwide selected to the 60th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars. They were recognized for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, or career and technical fields.

    McGuirk currently serves as the Board of Education student representative for this school year, while Ji’s selection as a Presidential Scholar marks the second consecutive year a senior from Kealakehe High School has received the award.

    “I’m so proud of Ahryanna and Maile-Lei for making Hawai‘i public school history," said Hawaii Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi in a news statement. "They both demonstrate academic excellence, proven leadership skills, a commitment to their communities and the ability to compete on a national level. They are proven examples of the Department’s mission to prepare students to be globally competitive and locally committed.”

    In addition to McGuirk and Ji, other big-city students selected as U.S. Presidential Scholars for academics were Bentley Altman from Family Partnership Charter School in Anchorage; Ananya Uddanti from Central High School in Little Rock; Devan Tissington Lakshmanan Tatlow from School Without Walls in Washington, D.C.; Sharanya Chatterjee from Freedom High School in Orlando; Intisar Alkhatib from Lincoln Park High School in Chicago; and Brandon Lin from Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Louisiana.

    Also honored were Samuel Chen from Clark High School in Las Vegas; Aileen Adanma Ukwoma from Early College Academy in Albuquerque; Sheldon Liu from Stuyvesant High School in New York City; Dishita Agarwal from The Early College at Guilford in North Carolina; Chardon Black Jr. from John Hay Senior High School in Cleveland; Jacks Carson from Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, and Michael Yi Lee from Academic Magnet High School in Charleston.

    Urban students selected as Presidential Scholars in the Arts were Chase Phillips from duPont Manual Magnet High School in Louisville, Detola Badmus Elmont from Fiorello H. Laguardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts in New York City, Jessie Leitzel from Charleston County School of the Arts in Charleston, Niveah Desirea Glover from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville, Paola Alvarez Ramirez from New World School of the Arts and Ale Fonseca from Arts Studios 6-12, both in Miami.

    The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects a distinguished group of scholars annually from each state. The selection process considers essays, school evaluations, transcripts, and demonstrated commitment to community service and leadership.

    Since 1964, the Presidential Scholars program has honored over 8,200 of the nation's top-performing students. Of the 3.7 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, only 5,700 qualified for the 2024 award.