Senior Clara McCreery was named one of 141 U.S. Presidential Scholars May 2, making her the first Whitman student to be selected in seven years.

The Presidential Scholars Foundation, a non-profit corporation, recognizes high school seniors each year who demonstrate “outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service and contribution to school and community,” according to a Department of Education press release.

The program awards one male and one female senior from each state, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and U.S. students living abroad. Additionally, 15 students are chosen as at-large winners, and 20 recipients are named Presidential Scholars in the Arts, according to the press release.

After a long selection process that included review by a White House commission, McCreery was named one of the female representatives from Maryland.

“I feel honored but think the award reflects on my parents, friends, teachers, counselors and community as much as it reflects on me,” McCreery said. “I’m still a little bit shocked and not sure how this happened.”

Of the students chosen to represent Maryland, all three Presidential Scholars are seniors at MCPS high schools. Sandra Yan and D.C. resident Eli Okun, both from Montgomery Blair HS, were also named scholars for this year. They will be honored for their accomplishments June 18 to 21 in Washington D.C.

Each Presidential Scholar also invites his or her most inspiring teacher to the awards ceremony to receive a Teacher Recognition Award from the Department of Education and participate in the ceremonies.

McCreery chose math teacher Susan Wildstrom, who taught her in 10th and 12th grade. Wildstrom often advertised lectures by math speakers, which McCreery would often attend even when she was in middle school.

“Clara’s really special,” Wildstrom said. “She’s enthusiastic and excited about the things she’s doing, and she shares that with her classmates and with her teachers.”

This year, seniors Mike Neubauer and Adam Schefkind were also preliminary candidates for the award. Whitman’s last Presidential Scholar was Frank Washburn (’04).