U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the selection of Victor Pereira of Salisbury, who attends East Rowan High School, as a 2014 U.S. Presidential Scholar.
Pereira is one of 141 American high school seniors that have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service and contribution to school and community. The U.S. Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments in Washington D.C., from June 22-25.
“The extraordinary young men and women being honored for the 50th anniversary of the Presidential Scholars have excelled in their educational, artistic and civic pursuits,” Duncan said.
The 2014 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 and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored more than 6,500 of the nation’s top-performing students with the prestigious award given to honorees during the annual ceremony in D.C. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts
Since 1983, each Presidential Scholar has been offered the opportunity to name his or her most influential teacher. Each distinguished teacher is honored with a personal letter from the Secretary of Education. The teacher chosen for recognition by Pereira was Dean Orbison of East Rowan.