St. Patrick Senior Nominated for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program

BILOXI, Miss – Connor Atwell ’20 has been nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The Wiggins, Mississippi native will learn later this spring if he is named a finalist. St. Patrick has a rich history of our students being named semifinalists and finalists in this program and hope that Atwell will join that list of successful Irish alumni.

Eligibility for the Program requires that students score exceptionally well on either the SAT of the College Board or the ACT of the American College Testing Program and that each is nominated by their Chief State School Officer (CSSO) or nominated by one of a handful of partner recognition organizations based on outstanding scholarship. Application for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is by invitation only.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. The names of the 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be posted in early May.

###

St. Patrick Catholic High School is a faith-based, college preparatory high school in Biloxi, Mississippi and named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in 2019. Established in 2007, St. Patrick is the premier secondary educational institution in South Mississippi and strives each day to Educate Scholars, Train Disciples, and Support Champions. St. Patrick is proud to report a 100% college matriculation rate, ACT and SAT scores that far exceed the state and national averages, and a rich history of Catholic education founded in the traditional roots of our legacy schools of St. John High School, Mercy Cross High School, Notre Dame High School, and Sacred Heart Academy.