Two Stafford Seniors are Candidates to be named U.S. Presidential Scholars
Colonial Forge students will be considered for national recognition.
by Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Two seniors at Stafford’s Colonial Forge High School are among the nominees for the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar’s Program.
Angelene Daganzo and Adam Ahmed were selected for candidacy based on their high SAT scores, written essays and self-assessments, school reports and transcripts, and their leadership and volunteer service.
Daganzo is a member of the National Honor Society, the Red Cross Club, and the Asian Heritage Club, and she also volunteers at a local senior citizen center and library. She has earned recognition from the U.S. Army Warrant Officers Association, the Secretary of the Army, and the Daughters of the American Revolution for her current role as Colonial Forge’s JROTC battalion commander and previous roles as adjutant, drill team captain, and company first sergeant.
In college, she plans to participate in ROTC and study international relations before joining the military with the goal of becoming an intelligence officer.
Ahmed is the senior class president and served last year as class reporter. He is also the parliamentarian of the Future Business Leaders of America, is actively involved with church and food scarcity projects, is a member of the Muslim Student Association, and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.
He plays varsity football and lacrosse and plans to attend college and major in biology.
The two students have now joined a pool of the nation’s top high school scholars. In late March, a national committee of educators convened by the Commission on Presidential Scholars will select some 500 semi-finalists—six to 20 from each state—for consideration to be one of up to 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars.
The 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be identified in early May.
The program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor distinguished graduating high school seniors.
“In honoring the U.S. Presidential Scholars, the President of the United States symbolically honors all graduating high school seniors of high potential,” Stafford County Public Schools wrote in a press release this week announcing the students’ achievement.
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Congratulations to these two outstanding young people. Thanks to the Advance for sharing their stories. It is a great pleasure to hear/read good news!