20 YoungArts Winners Named 2019 U.S. Presidential Scholars In The Arts

MIAMI, May 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) congratulates the 55th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, with special acknowledgement to the 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts who are YoungArts winners. The U.S. Presidential Scholars award—one of the nation's highest honors for high school students who exemplify academic excellence—is presented on behalf of the President of the United States and honors up to 161 graduating high school seniors of high potential each year. The U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts were nominated by YoungArts to The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars and selected based on academic and artistic excellence, leadership qualities and community service. Click here for the full list of the 2019 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

The first step to be considered for this honor is to apply to the National YoungArts Foundation's annual competition, opening on June 4 at youngarts.org/apply.

The 2019 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts include actors, dancers, singers, classical musicians, filmmakers, visual artists, photographers and writers, and join an exceptional group of YoungArts and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts alumni, including Tony Award-nominated performer and choreographer Desmond Richardson; Los Angeles Music Center President Rachel S. Moore; novelist and National Book Award Finalist Allegra Goodman; Grammy Award-nominated violinist Jennifer Koh; Bravo's "Work of Art" winner Abdi Farah; Obie Award-winning actress Donna Lynne Champlin; and RCA Records award-winning singer-songwriter and Grammy Award-nominated artist Chris Young.

From June 23-25, the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts will join the other 141 U.S. Presidential Scholars from across the country in Washington, D.C., for the annual National Recognition Program, during which all Scholars receive a Presidential Medallion presented on behalf of the President of the United States. On June 24, the Arts Scholars will present their work to the public at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts through a special performance, "A Salute to the 2019 U.S. Presidential Scholars," at 8 p.m. in Concert Hall. The free multidisciplinary performance will celebrate all of this year's awardees and will be directed by award-winning choreographer, performer and YoungArts master teacher John Heginbotham. Starting that evening, an exhibition of works created by the recognized photographers, visual artists and writers will also be on view in the Hall of Nations until July 6.

For more information, visit youngarts.org and presidentialscholars.org. To watch a brief video about YoungArts, click here. 

For images, click here. 

Media Contacts:
Heike Dempster, National YoungArts Foundation
[email protected] / 305.377.1140

Hanna Cunningham, Polskin Arts
[email protected] / 212.715.1640

SOURCE National YoungArts Foundation

Related Links

http://www.youngarts.org