White House Names 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars
The annual program recognizes students across the country for their academic, artistic, and technical excellence.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Secondary Education
The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars has named 161 students nationwide as 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars. This award recognizes academic achievement, school involvement, and artistic or technical excellence.
Why it matters
The program serves to honor some of the most accomplished graduating high school seniors in the United States. Recipients are selected based on a rigorous evaluation of their essays, school recommendations, and academic accomplishments.
A total of 161 students were named as 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars. This national honor is bestowed following an evaluation process that weighs academic performance, essays, and school recommendations.
The players
White House Commission on Presidential Scholars
This body is responsible for selecting the annual class of U.S. Presidential Scholars based on criteria set by the Department of Education.
Daniel David Jackson
A student at Proctor Hug High School who was named a 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholar.
Maryiam Syed
A student at Coronado High School who earned recognition as a 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholar.
The details
Among the 2026 class of scholars, Daniel David Jackson from Proctor Hug High School in Reno and Maryiam Syed from Coronado High School in Henderson represent Nevada. Honorees are chosen for their demonstrated success in academic, artistic, and technical fields.
Timeline
The 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars were named in 2026.
Culture Shift
This program aligns with the long-standing tradition established by the 1964 Executive Order 11155, which formalized national recognition for academic success. It reflects a societal commitment to highlighting student achievement as a model for the next generation of leaders.
Students and families can use the selection criteria of this program as a framework for building extracurricular and academic portfolios. Participation in school-level recommendation processes often serves as the first step for students aiming for this national recognition.
The takeaway
The selection process emphasizes that academic success is best supported by a mix of school recommendations and personal essay development. Families looking to prepare for future awards should encourage students to engage deeply in both technical and artistic extracurriculars early on.
Further reading
Learn more about student recognition programs on our Secondary Education page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kolotv.
