[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 14, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 14, 2008

  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible 
talents of two young people who reside in the Eighth District of 
Washington State. Both students represent the promise of America and 
lead their peers inside and out of the classroom.
  Ari J. Livne, a senior at Lakeside School in Seattle, and Anisha 
Gulabani, a senior at Eastlake in Sammamish, Washington, were included 
in the list of 141 Presidential Scholars for 2008. Since its inception 
in 1964, the Presidential Scholars Program has honored more than 5,500 
graduating high school seniors for academic excellence, artistic 
accomplishments, and civic contributions. In short, the young men and 
women named each year to the Presidential Scholars list represent the 
best and brightest young people in America--the leaders of tomorrow. 
Ari and Anisha are preparing themselves to lead this country into the 
future.
  Ari joined the list of Presidential Scholars in the Arts in 2008 
because of his accomplishments in the visual, literary and performing 
arts, as well as for his scholarship, leadership and public service. 
Initially, more than 7,000 young people from across the Nation applied 
for a spot on this prestigious list before it was narrowed down to just 
Ari and 19 other young talents. Ari holds a 3.7 cumulative GPA and will 
take his place among some of Lakeside's most outstanding graduates--
including Microsoft's Bill Gates and former Washington Governor Booth 
Gardner--when he enters the next step in his educational journey in the 
fall. After turning down a scholarship offer from Julliard, Ari decided 
on Yale in order to pursue both his academic interests and incredible 
musical gifts simultaneously.
  Anisha will graduate this spring from Eastlake High School with a 
perfect 4.0 GPA. She fills her school day with every Advanced Placement 
course available to her. She is a co-captain on the debate team, a 
member of the National Honor Society, a member of Mu Alpha Theta--
Lakeside's Mathematics Honor Society--and a member of the Children's 
Hospital Guild in Seattle. I am told that initially she wanted to 
become a medical doctor. However, after her sister's leg was amputated, 
she decided to focus on bio-medical engineering with a special focus on 
prosthetic limb design at Harvard University.
  Ari and Anisha showcased incredible talent at their respective high 
schools and clearly deserved the honor of being a part of the 2008 
Presidential Scholars Program. I hope they continue on their promising 
course and emerge as leaders in whatever field they choose.

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