The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars has announced that 2,600 graduating seniors have been selected as candidates in the 1996 Presidential Scholars Program. Forty-four were chosen from Maine, with 16 from the northern and eastern area of the state. Congratulations are extended to Matthew Beckett of Calais High School; Jarrod Boland, Messalonskee High School, Oakland; Karin Cole, Camden-Rockport High School; Caroline Foster and Tory Priputin, both of Cony High School, Augusta; Robert Gerry, Mattanawcook Academy, Lincoln; Carly Halloran, John Bapst Memorial High School, Bangor; Elisabeth Morse, Megan Owen, Justine Owen, Brenton Rogers and Kari Rosenthal, all of Bangor High School; Ryan Perry, Maine Central Institute, Pittsfield; Jennifer Plaut of Lubec, attending Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, N.J.; Samara Potter, Mount View High School, Thorndike; and Alexander Sheive, Waterville High School.

The 2,600 candidates were selected for their exceptional performance on either the SAT of the College Board or the ACT Assessment of the American College Testing Program. Further consideration is based on students’ essays, self assessments, descriptions of activities, school recommendations and school transcripts. A panel of educators will review these submissions and select 500 semifinalists in March. Finalists will be announced in April.

Seven juniors were inducted into the Machais Memorial High School chapter of National Honor Society Jan. 24. Selected for membership by a faculty committee were Josh Atwood, Laura Crockett, Michelle Hussey, Jillian McCarthy, Sheri Pritchard, Chrissy Thibodeau and Rebecca Wink. Guest speaker William Prescott, retired MMHS principal and assistant professor at the University of Maine at Machias, encouraged members to strive to achieve their goals while remembering the basis for selection into the society — leadership, scholarship, character and service.

As part of National Vocational Education Week Feb. 11-17, Elizabeth J. Staples of Northern Penobscot Regional 3 Vocational Center in Lincoln and Rachel S. Stevenson of Waldo Regional Vocational Center in Thorndike were named local winners in the SERVISTAR and Coast to Coast All-American Vocational Student Awards program. Each won a $100 U.S. Savings Bond and is eligible to advance to the state and national competitions. The program was begun in 1992 to recognize students who achieve prescribed standards of excellence in vocational and academic skills and exhibit leadership in their communities.

Coming events

Bangor High School Project Graduation Committee meeting, tonight, in the library.

AFS Ellsworth Chapter meeting, tonight, in the school cafe. Guest speaker will be Miguel Mencia from Honduras.

Orono High-Middle School Booster Club, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, Room 84, Orono High School.

The School News column is compiled by Darlene S. Henderson.