Sunday, July 1, 2012

2012 US Presidential Scholars

Where: National Portrait Gallery

When: through July 4, 2012

I had never heard of this program before, but each year 141 high school seniors are chosen as Presidential Scholars.  The program began in 1964 and recognizes outstanding students in a variety of fields.  The students whose work is on display in this show are among those who were chosen for their accomplishments in the arts.  It's an interesting group of young people, I must say.  One of them hopes to write and produce an episode of The Boondocks, which I'm assuming is based on the comic of the same name - one of my favorites.  I still miss reading it, although it's been gone for several years now.  Another student was helped enormously by the program, as very few people in his hometown of Lewisport, Kentucky understand or respect the arts. A third student has overcome obstacles that are unfathomable to me: his father was murdered when he was three, his mother was sent to prison for armed robbery when he was seven.  His teachers were the ones who encouraged him to write, and he's going to attend the University of Chicago in the fall.

Verdict: Well worth seeing, so make time this week to stop in!

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