WHS has 2 U.S. Presidential Scholars candidates

Two Westlake High School seniors were named U.S. Presidential Scholars candidates.

Ryan Karpuszka and Patrick Lee are among 110 students from Ohio to be recognized for this prestigious award. Each year, up to 161 students nationwide are named Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.

About 800 candidates are named semifinalists and will be forwarded to a commission for further review. In April, the Commission on Presidential Scholars selects up to 161 U. S. Presidential Scholars. One young man and one young woman are chosen from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and from families of U.S. citizens living abroad. In addition, up to 15 students are chosen at large.

Students chosen as U.S. Presidential Scholars receive an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in June and the U.S. Presidential Scholars medallion at a ceremony sponsored by the White House. The federal program has honored more than 7,000 U. S. Presidential Scholars.

Patrick intends to study engineering in college. At WHS he is involved in cross country, swimming, marching band, jazz band, Science Olympiad, Academic Challenge and Leadership Challenge. He also is an Eagle Scout and a National Merit Semifinalist.

Ryan intends to study computer science in college. At WHS he is involved in marching band, symphonic band, jazz band, chamber orchestra, Science Olympiad, Academic Challenge and Model UN. He also is a National Merit Semifinalist.

In 2015, three WHS students were named candidates – Aswin Bikkani, Nicholas Craven and Kartik Dhinakaran – with Aswin going on to be named a semifinalist. In 2016, Alex Ikezawa was named a candidate. And in 2017 Justin Krantz was named a candidate.