Three Louisiana high school seniors join a very selective class of students

Three Louisiana high school seniors beat the odds.

They are reportedly among 3.7 million students to receive their high school diploma this year.

They were also among the more than 5,000 candidates who qualified to be named a 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholar as determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT or ACT exams or through nominations made by chief state school officers, other partner recognition organizations and Young Arts, the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists.

Those three are Daniel Z. Liu of Baton Rouge who attends Baton Rouge Magnet High School; Khalil J. McKnight of Ponchatoula who attends Hammond High School and Shreveport native, Ananya Bhatia who is a student at Caddo Parish Magnet High School.

These three Louisianans are members of the 59th Class of U.S. President Scholars, a class of 161 outstanding high school seniors recognized for their accomplishments in academics, the arts and career and technical education fields.

“U.S. Presidential Scholars have always represented the future of our country and the bright promise it holds.  I want each of these remarkable students to know: your passion and intellect, pursuit of excellence, and spirit of service are exactly what our country needs,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored over 8,000 of the nation’s top-performing students. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields.

The Presidential Scholars Class of 2023 will be recognized for their outstanding achievement this summer with an online recognition program.

This article originally published in the May 15, 2023 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.