Jesse Nee-Vogelman is still six weeks away from college orientation, but already he?s had a taste of life after high school like no other Sonoma County high school graduate before him.
Nee-Vogelman, who was Elsie Allen High School?s valedictorian in May, is the first student from a Sonoma County high school to be named a United States Presidential Scholar and one of only 141 students in the nation to be so honored this year.
Nee-Vogelman, who will head to Harvard as a freshman next month, spent four days in Washington, D.C., in June with fellow scholars who were chosen for their academic excellence and commitment to community and citizenship.
More than meeting Vice President Joe Biden and conferencing with national leaders on Congress, human rights, social justice and education, Nee-Vogelman said he was inspired by the excellence of his fellow scholars ? about 20 of whom will also attend Harvard in the fall.
?It instilled in me a commitment to do better,? he said. ?Seeing these people has kind of given me the drive to go out and do more. There is no way they did it just kind of sitting around.?
More than three million students were expected to graduate from high school this spring and of those, 3,000 seniors are invited to apply to become one of 141 Presidential Scholars. The invitation is based on SAT and ACT scores.
That was good news for Nee-Vogelman, who scored a perfect 1,600 on the old SAT (math and critical reading), and a 670 on the final writing portion. His ACT score: 35 out of 36.
Students must then complete an extensive application that includes transcripts, references, personal statements and other documentation showing excellence both in and out of the classroom.
Five students from California were chosen to attend the program this year, including Nee-Vogelman who graduated from Elsie Allen?s University Center program with extensive college credits through Sonoma State University.
?In addition to honoring them, we hope to motivate them to do even greater things. It?s a leadership development program as much as it is a recognition program,? said Melissa Apostolides, a spokeswoman for the 45-year-old Presidential Scholars program. ?It?s such a wonderful community of thinkers.?
The scholars were scheduled to meet President Barack Obama but White House scheduling prevented it and Vice President Joe Biden was sent in his stead. Nee-Vogelman got a little one-on-one time with Biden, asking him about the greatest problems facing the nation.
?He talked about global warming, Iran, health care,? Nee-Vogelman said. ?He?s actually a really funny guy.?
Nee-Vogelman hopes the award, and being able to take Elsie Allen theater teacher Rob Burt with him on the trip east as his inspiring mentor, will dispel a negative perception about his campus that Nee-Vogelman said is ill-deserved.
?There is no way going (to Elsie Allen) limits you. It made me who I am today,? he said. Burt, a 15-year veteran at the campus, felt equally proud of the Lobo community.
?We have been battling not the best image in the eyes of the public and here the only Sonoma County school ever to produce a presidential scholar is Elsie Allen High School,? he said. ?I so hope the public is aware of that.?
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