A Greenwood High School student has been selected as a candidate for the 2018 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.
Briana Purnell, a senior, was one of 78 students selected in Mississippi. Those who have been chosen as candidates have the opportunity to be one of the 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars.
“Briana is an outstanding student. She excels in all of her classes, and she is a model student,” said Dr. Kenneth Pulley, principal at Greenwood High School.
“We are very proud of her and her work. We are very happy that she has made that list. I think she is just another example of Greenwood High students performing at the level that we expect.”
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to honor “the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors,” according to a Mississippi Department of Education press release.
Students who made it to the candidacy level had to complete an additional phase of the application process before the end of February, which Purnell did, according to Pulley.
A national committee will review the students on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership and service activities and a submitted essay, according to the press release.
Semifinalists will be announced later this month, and the final scholar list will be released in May.
Scholars will travel to Washington in June to receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion at a recognition ceremony and participate in other events.
•Contact Lauren Randall at 581-7239 or lrandall@gwcommonwealth.com.
