INTRODUCTION

We, the undersigned students, would like to first and foremost express our utmost gratitude and appreciation for being selected as the Class of 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars.

It was, however, the most disheartening when we learned that the National Recognition Ceremony for this year would not only continue being online but also non-live. We are aware that the initial decision to hold the ceremony online was made in 2020 due to the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we, scholars from the class of 2024, are the same class that missed a middle school graduation and went through a year of online learning due to quarantine. With virtually all activities and programs returning to pre-COVID standards and norms, we urge that the Presidential Scholars Program do the same. 

PETITION POINTS

1. Convenience: While we appreciate that the retention of the non-live and online attributes of the ceremony was designed for “our convenience,” we collectively urge that this decision be re-evaluated. It is understandable to assume the presumption that we scholars would default to convenience, but never will we shy from such opportunity in the name of inconvenience. Thus, we share the belief that we are glad to sacrifice “convenience” for an in-person ceremony, or at minimum, one that is held on a live basis. 
2. Resources/Funding: While we understand that a fully funded trip for scholars to visit the White House for the ceremony requires immense resources, we strongly believe that if it was a precedent of the program for 56 years, it is possible to be budgeted and planned once again.
3. Short Time Frame: While we recognize that the planning for the National Recognition Ceremony would be in an extremely short time frame, we urge you to consider that the reward of being able to connect with fellow scholars in person and engage in memorable in-person events to restore the Program to its previous significance, largely outweigh the effort required to mobilize planning for an in-person ceremony. Additionally, we suggest, if resources and time constraints are the main issue, the implementation of a task force consisting of scholars and alumni to help efficiently and speedily coordinate planning. We would not, however, need to plan from scratch as the same pre-COVID event structure can be used. If planning cannot be mobilized before the scheduled date of recognition, we, the undersigned scholars, would urge the ceremony to be postponed to retain the in-person aspect.

CONCLUSION

Thus, we the undersigned scholars, implore the Department of Education and the White House Commission on U.S. Presidential Scholars to restore the 56-year-long tradition of an in-person National Recognition Ceremony. It is because we offer our utmost respect and appreciation for this 60-year-long program, that we ground ourselves in its historic and prideful value of scholarly connection and “nourishing excellence”.

As we envision our ceremony, we sincerely urge the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation to uphold the standard of President Johnson’s first National Recognition Week in 1964, where “Scholars participated in seminars with Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Astronaut Alan B. Sheppard, and Chief Justice Earl Warren.” We too, the scholars of 2024, envision a National Recognition Program held to the same regard and carefully planned with the same effort. As we undertake President Johnson’s challenge of advancing equity, we also urge the Program to cover all accommodation fees for the 161 scholars to each have an equal chance, without discrimination of financial circumstances, to attend the event in person.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is one of the highest honors any student in the nation can achieve, and each one of us has worked immensely hard not just in academics, but also in leadership and dedication to our communities. We wholeheartedly insist you consider our requests and are open to any collaboration needed to make them a reality.

Summary of Requests:

1. Reinstate the fully funded in-person Scholars National Recognition Ceremony
2. Extend a non-funded invitation to attend the event to each scholar’s parents and distinguished teachers, in addition to the alumni committee

Cited: 

US Presidential Scholars Foundation & Alumni Association. “History of the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program & Foundation.” U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation, https://www.presidentialscholars.org/history Accessed 12 May 2024.