CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Four high school seniors from North Carolina were named U.S. Presidential Scholars this year, including two from Cabarrus and Union counties.
The Commission on Presidential Scholars selects students annually based on their academic success, artistic and technical excellence; and demonstrated commitment to community service and leadership.
One of the scholars, Josiah Young, is a senior at Hickory Ridge High School in Harrisburg. He's a member of the DECA business education organization and the founder of Headset Sports, a sports agency that helps athletes build their brands.
"I would love to be either the NBA or the NFL Head Commissioner," Young said, "the person who's kind of in charge of all the business of sports and in that specific league or organization."
Young is passionate about using his business skills to help others.
The Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education award is a significant honor that recognizes the hard work and dedication of students using their skills in a practical sense.
"One thing that I talked about in my application was how these CTE courses gave me what's called experiential learning opportunities," Young said. "It was just an opportunity for me to apply concepts to real-life scenarios, and I decided not to just stop in the classroom and try to keep applying those concepts to the real world."
CTE programs offer students the opportunity to develop the skills they need for specific careers. These programs are available in a wide range of fields, including business, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology.
Young plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he will study business and further his entrepreneurial goals.
This isn’t the first time Young has found himself on the radar of the White House.
"At the end of fifth grade, I was also given a presidential education award as well," Young said. "Back then it was Pres. Obama who was the president, and I was graduating from elementary school, and now to see me graduating high school and it's all come full circle. It is definitely a blessing."
Another scholar, Nipun Gorantla, is a senior at Marvin Ridge High School in Waxhaw. Gorantla was not available for an interview with WCNC Charlotte due to unforeseen circumstances.
Of the 3.7 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, only 161 nationwide are selected as presidential scholars. Four of those are from North Carolina. Young and Gorantla are now in a small class of the nation’s top-performing students.
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.