Two Wisconsin Students Earn Presidential Award

Two students from Wisconsin – Li Lin of West High School in Madison and Eric M. Yanke of Marshfield Senior High School – are among just 141 students nationwide who have been named Presidential Scholars.

Li Lin

Each student received a medallion and will travel to Washington, D.C., June 22-27 for National Recognition Week activities along with teachers they cited as being influential to their success.

Lin and Yanke chose WEAC members to accompany them to Washington, D.C. James Bokern, a U.S. history teacher in Marshfield, and Andrew W. Zintel, a Spanish teacher at West in Madison, are invited to a special reception to recognize and thank them for their efforts. The two men will also receive the Presidential Scholars Program Teacher Recognition Award.

Eric Yanke

The Presidential Scholars Commission is a 25-member group of leaders in education, medicine, law, social services, business, and government appointed by the president. The commission selects the Presidential Scholars from among 2,600 candidates and 500 semifinalists.

Scholars are selected based on academic achievement, college admission test scores, essays, and transcripts as well as evidence of leadership, character, and commitment to high ideals.

Established by executive order in 1964, the Presidential Scholars program is one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. During the past 39 years, the Presidential Scholars program has recognized nearly 5,000 scholars who have demonstrated leadership, scholarship, and contribution to school and community.

Posted May 22, 2002