Each year, the committee selects 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars to honor the excellence of graduating seniors from across the country.
Typically, the two or three students selected from Idaho come from other parts of the state. Not only do this year's scholarship recipients both live in Boise, but they both attend Timberline High School.
Lee Ha-yoon and Austin Jackson Giffen received this award in recognition of their excellence both inside and outside the classroom. Watch interviews with students here.
In a press release, Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield said: “These two brilliant scholars demonstrate what it means to be fully prepared for the next step in your educational experience. “Whether it’s proving themselves in the classroom or demonstrating their commitment to the community outside of the classroom, Hayoon and Austin are shining examples in every way.”
The two students were selected from among 5,700 candidates by the Presidential Scholars Committee, a private civic group appointed by the president. The group considers grades, test scores, and other outstanding achievements. Hayoon and Austin will be invited to participate in a virtual recognition program this summer.
Austin Jackson Giffen
When Austin describes his perfect day, it doesn't involve a lot of running around. He referees football games, says he'll spend time at Aspen Valley, the senior living community where he works, and then has lunch with his friends at Willow Creek in Boise.
“I am a person who likes to be busy. “I want to feel like I’m having a productive day,” he explains.
Austin's hobbies include mountain biking, sailing, and playing the piano. At his school, he is active in many clubs, including his peer-led math club called Math Café, which he created. His team placed fifth in this year's Science Bowl, and he was a member of the first Timberline boys tennis team to win district and state championships.
Pursuing a variety of activities is important to Austin. He advised students just entering high school to “use this time to develop themselves and explore different interests.”
He explained, “For example, I took a pottery class that I hadn’t originally planned to take, and I really enjoyed it.”
Austin, who plans to attend Yale University in the fall, said she wants to continue utilizing her resources to gain the best experience possible. He plans to study chemical engineering, but other options are available.
“The ultimate impact I want to have is something good for the environment, something good for the world.”
Lee Ha-yoon
Hayun said that receiving an award such as a U.S. Presidential Scholarship or admission to college “brings me a lot of luck,” and that she plans to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the fall to study mechanical engineering.
But her high school accomplishments show more than just luck. Not only does she have a high GPA and test scores, but she's also great at her hobbies.
She has won several prestigious awards for her violin playing and has competed in the state tennis tournament three years in a row.
She is also a member of “The Chickadees,” a girls-founded robotics team run by Boise State University (BSU).
Hayun emphasizes the importance of the relationships formed while engaging in such activities. When asked about her most memorable moments from high school, she described her recent tour with her orchestra. She said, “We took the bus [to the competition] We stayed at the hotel together. “It was really fun and we made a lot of memories together.”
She says if she has something to do in her day, she'll spend time with her friends. “You don’t need anything fancy to have fun. “I just need people I care about.”
After graduation, she plans to take a nine-hour red-eye flight to South Korea to visit family for over a month.
Hayun grew up listening to her Korean parents speak Korean at home. She worries that her language will become rusty, but is excited to spend time with her family and order Jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), a Korean takeout meal, delivered on her motorcycle.
Hayoon and Austin graduated from Timberline High School last week and will attend MIT and Yale University in the fall.
Watch the interview here and find out what’s next.