Samantha Milewicz, a senior at Byram Hills High School, has been chosen as a semifinalist in the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.
Samantha is one of 628 semifinalists selected from more than 5,000 candidates. The program was created in 1964 to honor some of the most distinguished seniors in the nation.
“Congratulations to Samantha on this terrific honor,” Principal Christopher Walsh said. “The Byram Hills community is incredibly proud of her achievements and dedication to academic excellence.”
Earlier this year, Samatha, a member of the Byram Hills Authentic Science Research Program, won eighth place and a $60,000 award in the renowned Regeneron Science Talent Search for her research that could lead to innovation in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries. She is a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
At Byram Hills, Samantha is a member of the Cum Laude Society, which recognizes outstanding academic excellence, co-president of the National Art Honor Society, editor-in-chief of The Oracle student newspaper, and a member of the Principal’s Student Advisory Committee. Last year, she won the Harvard Prize Book Award, given to outstanding juniors for excellence in scholarship and character, and the Byram Hills Award for Potential in Science.
She is a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician with the Armonk Fire Department and a photographer.
“It’s a great honor to be recognized for my accomplishments in and out of the classroom,” Samantha said. “I am thankful to all of the people who have supported me throughout my high school career and have shaped me into the passionate student and thinker that I am.”
Samantha will attend Stanford University and plans to become a surgeon.
Each year, up to 161 students are named Presidential Scholars, one of the highest honors for high school students across the nation. The Commission on Presidential Scholars will choose the scholars, who will be announced in May by U.S. Education Secretary Dr. Miguel Cardona. The scholars are honored during the National Recognition Program and awarded the Presidential Scholars medallion each June.