Aditya Mahalingam-Dhingra of the Roxbury Latin School (MA), Suhas Rao of Westwood High School (MA) and Ruchir Shah of Barrington High School (RI) have been named as three of the approximately 560 semifinalists in the 2008 Presidential Scholars Program. The semifinalists were selected from more than 3,000 candidates on the basis of superior achievements, leadership qualities, personal character, and involvement in community and school activities. In addition, Myra Gupta, Greenwich High School Clark (CT), Anisha Vachani, Lexington High School (MA), and Sitaram V. Chivukula, Medfield High School (MA) made it to the  list of Candidates for the Presidential Scholars Program.

Final selection of the Scholars will be made by the Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of eminent citizens appointed by the President, and will be announced in May. The Commission will select one yound man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. students living abroad; up to 20 students representing the visul, literary and performing arts; and 15 students at-large.

Scholars will be invited to Washington, D.D., for several days in the second half of June to receive the Presidential Scholars medallion at a recognition ceremony and to participate in various activities and events in their honor.

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