Being a U.S. Presidential Scholar has kept Alethia Tilford very busy this summer. Before traveling to Washington to receive her Presidential Scholar medallion on June 22, Alethia was honored by the Milwaukee Brewers at a recent home game where her accomplishment was acknowledged just before she threw out the first pitch.
While in Washington, Alethia visited with Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin. See photos from her visit on Facebook. Alethia and the other 140 recipients from around the country were presented with their medallions at a ceremony sponsored by the White House. During their visit to Washington, honorees had access to government officials, educators, authors, musicians, scientists and other accomplished people.
Scholars had opportunities to discuss issues that concern America and the world; attend recitals, receptions and ceremonies held in their honor; and visit museums and monuments in and around the nation’s capital. The gathering of the scholars also was a chance for the honorees to get to know each other and exchange ideas.
Alethia is a 2015 graduate of Milwaukee Public Schools’ Ronald Reagan College Preparatory High School. She learned in May she was one of only two people selected from Wisconsin to receive the nation’s highest honor for graduating high school seniors presented by the Department of Education.
partment of Education. Of the nation’s 3.3 million graduating seniors, only about 4,300 candidates qualified for the 2015 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 YoungArts Foundation’s nationwide YoungArts competition.
Candidates were invited to complete an application that includes essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports and transcripts and an independent national committee of educators selected the semifinalists. Alethia was one of 565 students named a semifinalist in April. The Commission on Presidential Scholars selected the 141 winners from that group.
