LC senior named Presidential Scholar

Jeffrey Burkert was more concerned about passing a statistics exam Wednesday than that he just received one of the nation’s highest academic honors for high school students.

The Lewis and Clark High School senior was named one of two Presidential Scholars from Washington state by the U.S. Department of Education, and one of 141 students to be given the honor nationwide.

“You apply for it, but you don’t really think about after that,” said Burkert, 18.

Students selected as scholars receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to receive their medal for being the brightest in the country, and to possibly meet the president.

The program was created in 1964, to honor the nation’s top-performing students. Application for the program is by invitation only, and students are selected first based on their scores on the SAT or PSAT college entrance exams.

Then students are evaluated on academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership and service activities, and an analysis of an essay. Only one boy and one girl are chosen from each state.

“It’s fantastic,” said Dan Corr, an LC science teacher who was selected to travel with Burkert to Washington. When applying, students select their most challenging and inspirational teacher to receive a Teacher Recognition Award. Burkert selected Corr.

“He’s the best teacher I’ve had,” Burkert said of Corr. “He’s exciting. He’s engaging. He has high expectations.”

Corr said Burkert was a very shy student, who didn’t say much at first. But when he did open up, he was “brilliant.”

While the award does not provide students any scholarship money, it does give them access to international figures, including government officials, educators, authors, musicians, scientists and other accomplished people, said Melissa Apostolides of the federal Education Department.

“It’s an opportunity for them to come together with like-minded, amazing achievers,” Apostolides said.

Burkert, who plays the French horn, performed with the Spokane Symphony and helped establish a knowledge bowl team at LC, was also selected as a Washington Scholar, though he won’t stay in state for college. Washington scholars who attend a state school can receive up to 12 quarters or eights semesters of tuition.

Instead, Burkert will travel to California to attend Harvey Mudd College, a small mathematics, science and engineering school. He’s not sure which path he’ll choose.

“We’ll see where it takes me,” said Burkert.