Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) sent a letter to President Barack Obama today asking him to create a Presidential Career and Technical Scholars award through executive order.
During President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Administration, thePresidential Scholars program was created to recognize the top 121 high school graduates based on their scholastic achievement, leadership and community involvement. Under the Administration of President Jimmy Carter, the program was expanded to recognize an additional 20 students based on “outstanding scholarship and demonstrated ability and accomplishment in the visual and performance arts or in creative writing.”
Today’s request acknowledges the academic and technical achievements of CTE students nationwide and asks the president to expand the Presidential Scholars program to recognize the top-performing CTE students. As with the current awards, recipient qualifications and requirements would be determined by the Presidential Scholars Commission.
ACTE has continually worked with Sens. Kaine, Portman and Baldwin to advance CTE support in the U.S. Senate, including through the creation of the Senate CTE Caucus, and we strongly support today’s request.
“We are hopeful that the President will act on this request from our friends in the United States Senate to recognize and cultivate excellence among high school scholars in CTE fields,” ACTE Executive Director LeAnn Wilson said in a statement today. “ACTE worked with these offices in drafting this letter, and we are hopeful that the U.S. Presidential Scholars program will soon recognize the outstanding accomplishments of CTE students who are building a brighter future for themselves as scholars and professionals.”
ACTE encourages President Obama to be a champion of CTE and to recognize the achievements of CTE students by creating this award. You can encourage the President as well by sending him a message on the CTE Action Center.
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