Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Congratulates Montana’s 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars

• Brian O'Leary
• May 10 2023

HELENA – Superintendent Elsie Arntzen applauds the academic achievement of two Montana 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars. These two scholars were chosen from six statewide semifinalists. The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize and honor our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. The program has been extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative, and performing arts as well as ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. This year 161 students across the country were named U.S. Presidential Scholars. This summer the Presidential Scholars will participate in an online recognition program.

Montana’s Presidential Scholars are:

• Jessica Bough of Lone Peak High School in Big Sky
• Marten Hartshorn of Bozeman High School in Bozeman

“Join me in congratulating our 2023 Montana Presidential Scholars,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “These two students reflect the very best of our Montana teachers and schools. A big thank you to all parents, families, and communities for supporting the academic success of our Montana students.”

Students must meet the following criteria for the general component of the Presidential Scholars Program:

• are or will be U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent U.S. Residents by the application deadline (Students who were not U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent U.S. Residents on the day they took SAT or ACT exam, or who requested that The College Board or ACT not release their scores to outside entities, should contact the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program at 507-931-8345 to ensure their scores are considered in the determination of the candidate pool.);
• graduate or receive a diploma between January and August of 2022, the current program year; and
• score exceptionally well on either the SAT of the College Board or the ACT of the American College Testing Program, based on tests taken during the year window that begins in September 2018 and runs through October 2021, (for the recognition cycle concluding in June 2022), nominated by their Chief State School Officer (CSSO) or nominated by one of our partner recognition organizations based on outstanding scholarship.

This year is the 59^th year of the Presidential Scholars Program. The other semifinalists were Connor Bushnell from Capitol High School in Helena, Lily Miller from Hellgate High School in Missoula, Reagan Remmers from Big Sky High School in Missoula, and Ryan Tomich from Butte High School in Butte. In 2022, three Montanans were Presidential Scholars – Ashton Blake from CMR in Great Falls, Brooke Bothner from Bozeman High School in Bozeman, and John Chadwell from Lone Peak High School in Big Sky.