Three Bucks County students were named 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholars, as reported in Bucks Local News.  

Their distinction for this school year puts them in an elite group of only 161 students nationwide. 

The local students are: 

• Ruchard Su Fang (Council Rock High School North) 
• Catherine A. Cavanaugh (North Penn High School) 
• Raymond A. Slifer (Quakertown Senior High School) 

Slifer’s award is especially notable. He becomes the Commonwealth’s first career and technical education (CTE) student to earn the recognition. CTE academics were ineligible for Presidential Scholar consideration until 2015. 

“Each student worked very hard, engaged in community service, and displayed outstanding leadership skills, doing their part to make our Commonwealth a better place,” lauded Acting Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDOE) Noe Ortega. “I proudly join President Joe Biden … in recognizing and congratulating [them].” 

“I am proud of Raymond for becoming Pennsylvania’s first U.S. Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education,” said PDOW Director Lee Burket. “Raymond demonstrated his academic accomplishments, ingenuity, and problem-solving.” 

Students were evaluated on criteria that included academic success, transcripts, community service and leadership. 

More on this distinction is at Bucks Local News.