By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
From 6,000 candidates down to 621 semifinalists; among them a familiar Barren County name.
Barren County High School senior Grant Harper is a semifinalist in the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.
“Inclusion in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, now in its 61st year, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors,” the school press release stated. “Scholars are selected on the basis of their accomplishments in many areas—academic and artistic success, accomplishment in career and technical fields, leadership, strong character, and involvement in school and the community.”
The program was started in 1964 by executive order of former President Lyndon Johnson as a way “to recognize some of [the] nation’s most distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments.” It has been expanded twice since its creation, once in 1979 to include visual and creative accomplishments and in 2015 to recognize accomplishments in career and technical fields.
In the coming months, the final selection of the high school seniors who will be named as the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars will occur, and the names of those students will be announced by U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, the press release stated.
