60 Accomplished Artists Nominated for 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts

One of the Highest Honors in the Nation Awarded to Talented High School Seniors from 19 States, Representing 9 Artistic Disciplines

MIAMI, FL (January 25, 2024) – YoungArts announced today the nominees for the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students who exemplify artistic and academic excellence. YoungArts is the sole nominating agency for this prestigious honor, and the 60 candidates, representing 19 states and including one American abroad, and nine artistic disciplines, are all YoungArts award winners. The students were nominated to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program following the intensive National YoungArts Week. Open to YoungArts award winners with distinction, 2024 National YoungArts Week included classes and workshops with leading artists in their fields, performances, writers’ readings, film screenings and an exhibition, providing the artists opportunities to further advance their craft, and allowing audiences opportunities to meet and experience these outstanding artists and their work. During this life-changing week, YoungArts award winners were further evaluated for nomination to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

All completed and submitted U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts applications will be reviewed by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. The Commission will ultimately select 20 high school seniors to be recognized as U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts for their academic and artistic accomplishments, demonstrated leadership, community service and outreach initiatives, and overall creativity.

“It is a true honor for YoungArts to nominate these 60 brilliant artists to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars,” said YoungArts President Clive Chang. “These artists navigate and confront our rapidly changing world with keen intellect and an admirable sense of joy and curiosity. We all look forward to supporting them as they grow and evolve in their artistic journeys.”

The 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts nominees are:

Interviews can be facilitated upon request.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts nominees are actors, dancers, singers, songwriters, classical musicians, photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, designers and writers. Once selected, the 2024 awardees will join a distinguished group of YoungArts and U.S. Presidential Scholars 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 Tony Award-nominated choreographer and educator Camille A. Brown.

The 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts will be announced in the coming months. For additional information, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/psp

Becoming a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts

The first step to becoming a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts is to apply to YoungArts, which is the nominating agency for this honor. To be eligible for the YoungArts program, applicants must be 15–18 years old or in high school grades 10–12. To be further considered for a nomination as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, applicants must be high school seniors and meet all of the U.S. Presidential Scholars requirements.

YoungArts award winners demonstrating excellence in the performing, visual or literary arts are selected annually through a blind adjudication process. This year, nearly 700 YoungArts award winners were selected. In January, 151 winners with distinction from across the nation were invited to National YoungArts Week, where they participated in a week of intensive classes and workshops with internationally renowned artists, and shared their work through performances, readings, exhibitions and screenings that were be open to the public.

During National YoungArts Week, eligible participants are further evaluated, award levels are determined, and nominations are made for that year’s U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts candidates. After a rigorous selection process, YoungArts nominates 60 candidates for an invitation to apply to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Finally, the Commission on Presidential Scholars selects 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts each year. 

About U.S. Presidential Scholars

In 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established by executive order of President Lyndon B. Johnson to recognize and honor the nation’s top graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrated talent in the visual, creative and performing arts.  In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields.

Scholars are selected annually by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by the President, based on academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership and service activities, and writing ability. This year, about 5,000 candidates qualified for the 2024 program determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT or ACT exams, through nominations made by Chief State School Officers, or other partner recognition programs or YoungArts.

Since its inception, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored over 8,000 of the nation’s high-performing students. U.S. Presidential Scholars are honored for their accomplishments during the online National Recognition Program each June. To commemorate their achievement, the Scholars are awarded the Presidential Scholars Medallion.  The 161 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education.

About YoungArts

Established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison, YoungArts identifies exceptional young artists, amplifies their potential, and invests in their lifelong creative freedom. YoungArts provides space, funding, mentorship, professional development and community throughout artists’ careers. Entrance into this prestigious organization starts with a highly competitive application for talented artists ages 15–18, or grades 10–12, in the United States that is judged by esteemed discipline-specific panels of artists through a rigorous blind adjudication process.

For more information, visit youngarts.org, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter.