By Susan Gaertner
Too often, the accomplishments of our outstanding young people are overshadowed by the actions of kids who get in serious trouble with the law and make the headlines. As a prosecutor, I am all too familiar with that small percentage of the juvenile population that takes a wrong turn in life. It bothers me that more attention is not paid to the achievements of kids who excel in school and contribute to their communities. That is one important reason why I am so happy to be involved with the Presidential Scholars Program.
The Presidential Scholars Program has honored some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors for more than 30 years. Each year, the Commission selects one male and one female student from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Americans living abroad and 15 students at-large. Students are selected on the basis of outstanding scholarship, service, leadership and creativity through a rigorous review process administered by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Since 1995, I have served on the Presidential Scholars Commission that makes the final selection of scholars from among 2.5 million graduating high school seniors. It is truly inspiring to review the applications of these incredibly accomplished young people. Each year, this experience reassures me that the world will be in very good hands when my generation steps aside. It reminds me, too, that we need to keep the right perspective on youth, despite the gloomy headlines. In 1999, two troubled youths committed a horrible crime at Columbine High School in Colorado, and that, understandably, is what most of us will remember about the school. But that same high school produced three National Merit Scholars and an award-winning forensics team in that same year. That's what Columbine High School is really about, and those are the kind of facts that sometimes get lost in the shuffle. The Presidential Scholars Program helps us to keep the spotlight where it belongs.
I am particularly proud of the two Minnesota students selected as 2000 Presidential Scholars. They typify the excellence of all the scholars -- and reflect the talents and accomplishments of thousands of other Minnesota students who also deserve recognition. Let me introduce you to these two fine young adults who graduated from high school this past spring.
Jacqueline May attended Lakeville Senior High School, where she was a valedictorian of her class. This fall, she will begin studying chemistry and creative writing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received a National Merit Scholarship, choral awards, team and individual medals at two National Science Olympiad competitions and prizes in several writing contests. Her main interest is in writing poetry and fiction. Jacqueline also enjoys math and chemistry, and she sings, plays piano, reads omnivorously, swims and works as a bookkeeper.
David Marthaler graduated from Ortonville High School, where he also was valedictorian. He also is a National Merit Scholar. Throughout high school he was involved in football, baseball, Business Professionals of America, Knowledge Bowl, Key Club and several other activities. He jokingly refers to his part-time job as a "grocery placement engineer" (stockboy). David plans to study management information systems at the University of Minnesota.
Jacqueline and David were among 141 Presidential Scholars honored by President Clinton at a White House ceremony this past summer.
Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley had this to say about the 2000 class of Presidential Scholars: "The excellence these students have achieved is a result of the tough courses they have enrolled in, their positive attitudes toward learning and achievement, their leadership skills, the support of their parents and the many ways in which they have worked with their communities to make them better places to live."
In my view, those same attributes apply to most of our young people today. I salute them all.
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Susan Gaertner was elected Ramsey County Attorney in 1994 and re-elected in 1998. She was appointed to the Presidential Scholars Commission by President Clinton.