Castro Valley Teen Chosen As Presidential Scholar

CASTRO VALLEY, CA — Zoe Wijesekara Dorado, a 2023 graduate of Castro Valley High School, is one of three East Bay teens selected as 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars. Some 161 students were chosen nationwide out of roughly 3.6 million graduating high school seniors. The students were selected for their superior achievements in academics, leadership, and community involvement.

The other East Bay winners are —

• Elane Kim, Stanford University EPGY Online High School, Walnut Creek
• Gavin Ray Trotmore, Berkeley High School, Berkeley

The 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 scholars in the arts and 20 scholars in career and technical education. Overall, California has 12 Presidential Scholars this year, more than any other state. Two scholars are from San Jose, one from Sunnyvale, and one from Morgan Hill. The remaining students are from Southern California.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize the nation’s most promising students. Candidacy is invitation-only. Students who score exceptionally well on either the SAT or ACT exam are identified as candidates. Eligible candidates are also identified by their state’s Chief State School Officer and several other recognition organizations such as YoungArts and The National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists.

Winners do not receive a monetary scholarship, like the National Merit Scholarship. Instead, they are typically invited to an all-expenses paid trip to the White House, where they are presented with a Presidential Scholars Medallion at a special ceremony. This year, the ceremony is online.