Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Congratulates Montana’s 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars

• Brian O'Leary
• May 09 2024

HELENA – Superintendent Elsie Arntzen applauds the academic achievement of two Montana 2024 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:

• Ellis Walker-Keleher of Missoula, attending United World College East Africa (Arusha Campus) in Arusha, Tanzania
• Grace Wandler of Hellgate High School in Missoula

“Join me in congratulating Ellis and Grace on being named 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “Their accomplishment reflects the importance of parent, teacher, and community engagement in education. We are Montana proud of all our students’ academic successes this year.”

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;
• graduate or receive a diploma between January and August of 2024, 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 August 2020 and runs through October 2023, (for the recognition cycle concluding in June 2024), nominated by their Chief State School Officer (CSSO) or nominated by one of the partner recognition organizations based on outstanding scholarship.

This year is the 60th year of the Presidential Scholars Program. The other semifinalists were Ella Casada of St. Ignatius, Caiden Hamer of Missoula, Elsa Miller of Corvallis, and John Reynolds of Manhattan.  In 2023, two Montanans were Presidential Scholars – Jessica Bough of Big Sky and Marten Hartshorn of Bozeman.

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