The U.S. Department of Education has announced the 2025 class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for graduating high school seniors.
Among the 161 students recognized nationwide are 10 from California, including four from Orange County. Established in 1964 by executive order, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program honors distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields. Since its inception, the initiative has recognized more than 8,600 students.
“Congratulations to this year’s Presidential Scholars for their remarkable academic, artistic, and technical achievements,” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a Sept. 26 news release. “Out of 3.9 million high school graduates, these 161 students are recognized for their extraordinary performance in their high school career. I look forward to seeing all they accomplish in their future.”
Without further ado, here are the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program finalists from Orange County:
- Hannah Cho, Pacific Academy, Irvine
- Ariana Kim, Orange County High School of the Arts, Santa Ana
- Jaquelyn Nguyen, Fountain Valley High School, Huntington Beach Union High School District
- Jacob Scheff, Canyon High School, Orange Unified School District
Cho and Kim were additionally named U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, an honor awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary or performing arts.
More than 6,400 candidates qualified for the 2025 award based on SAT or ACT performance, or through nominations by chief state school officers and partner recognition organizations. From that group, the Commission on Presidential Scholars selected the 161 honorees, which include two students from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. families living abroad, along with additional at-large scholars and students recognized in the arts and career technical education.
A full list of 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars is available on the U.S. Department of Education’s website.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- Orange County school districts marked Attendance Awareness Month with creative incentives and schoolwide initiatives, including Brea Olinda Unified’s friendly campus challenge, to highlight the importance of regular attendance and help students build habits that support learning and connection.
- The Orange County Department of Education is launching the Innovation Funding Initiative to support bold, scalable ideas that improve student outcomes in Orange County, offering up to $525,000 per district for three-year projects beginning in 2026.
- Most federal funding for Orange County school programs — including Title I, special education and school meals — will continue without immediate disruption despite the Oct. 1 government shutdown.
- Orange County high school students are invited to submit original songs of 250 seconds or less for the USA 250-OC Theme Song Competition. Winning entries will be performed at a July 4 celebration and eligible for cash prizes.
- The Laguna Beach Unified School District has appointed Manoj Roychowdhury as its new assistant superintendent of business services, effective Oct. 13, bringing extensive fiscal leadership experience from multiple Southern California school districts.
- OCDE will host its first-ever Father Fest on Oct. 4 in Anaheim, offering workshops, resources and family activities to celebrate and support fathers and male mentors in their roles at home and in the community.
- More than 400 educators and community members attended OCDE’s Vietnamese American Experiences Model Curriculum Conference Sept. 26–27 in Garden Grove, where sessions, performances and tours focused on integrating Vietnamese American history and culture into classrooms.
- Despite concerns following summer immigration raids, local school districts report stable attendance and enrollment, with campuses emphasizing safety, support services and consistent messaging to reassure families.
- Cal State Fullerton is expanding workforce training in the growing field of biomanufacturing through hands-on labs, virtual reality tools and partnerships with local schools.
- At least 20 California teachers are facing disciplinary action over social media posts about conservative activist Charlie Kirk following his assassination, raising questions about free speech, workplace disruption and how districts navigate political expression in schools.
This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.