Emma Fallone Named a U.S. Presidential Scholar

Out of all the female high school seniors in Wisconsin, Whitefish Bay High School senior Emma C. Fallone was selected as the state's 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholar. 

Every year, 141 high school seniors are chosen for this presitigious award based on their accomplishments in academics or the arts. One young man and one young woman are chosen from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large and 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan congratulated the students in a news release.

"Honoring Presidential Scholars is an important celebration of students showing the dedication, creativity and ambition to become future leaders," Duncan said.

Fallone will travel to Washington, D.C. for a ceremony on June 16, where she will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion. Several additional events are planned to recognize the Presidential Scholars in Washington, including a performance at the Kennedy Center. It is expected that the schedule will also include a visit to the White House to meet President Barack Obama.

State Superintendent Tony Evers commended Fallone and her male counterpart, Suman Gunasekaran, from James Madison Memorial High School in Madison, in a news release.

“The Presidential Scholars award is considered the nation’s highest honor for graduating high school seniors,” Evers said. “It takes devotion to studies, commitment to excellence, and service to community as well as support from parents and teachers to achieve such an honor. Congratulations to our inspiring teachers as well. It means a great deal to a teacher to have a student appreciate your efforts to help them learn.”

Each scholar was asked to name the teacher who has most influenced their education, and Fallone chose David Johnson, a Whitefish Bay High School history teacher from whom she has taken three classes. Johnson is also invited to be recognized at the ceremony in Washington, D.C. 

The selection process began , when Fallone was chosen as one of about 40 Wisconsin high school students nominated for the program. , she was selected to be one of the state's top 10 semi-finalists.

Fallone has been accepted at Yale University in New Haven, CN where she plans to study history. In addition to her high academic achievements, Fallone ran varsity cross country all four years and was one of the captains of the team in the fall. She is also one of the editors of the high school literary magazine, "Out of the Blue" and participates in the varsity math team.