U.S. Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan today announced the selection of Tyler Blackmon of
Rising Fawn, Georgia as a 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholar.

Blackmon attends Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Blackmon
is among the 141 outstanding 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 16-19.

"Honoring
Presidential Scholars is an important celebration of students showing
the dedication, creativity and ambition to become future leaders,"
Duncan said.  "As national, state and local leaders work side by side
with principals, teachers, and parents to make our schools better, we
can learn from the students all around us whose hard work and
accomplishments embody the kind of excellence we want every child to
achieve."
The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars,
appointed by President Obama, selects honored scholars annually based on
their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations
and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership,
and demonstrated commitment to high ideals. Of the three million
students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than
3,300 candidates qualified for the 2012 awards determined by outstanding
performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams, and through
nominations made by Chief State School Officers or the National
Foundation for Advancement in the Arts nationwide YoungArts™
competition.

The 2012 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 Presidential Scholars in the Arts. 

Created
in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored more than
6,000 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 invite his or
her most inspiring and challenging teacher to the annual ceremony where
they are honored with a Teacher Recognition Award from the U.S.
Department of Education.

The teacher chosen by Blackmon was Floyd Celapino of Chattanooga, Tenn.
Baylor Student Named Presidential Scholar