DoDEA Student selected as U.S. Department of Education 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is excited to announce that Anna Roth of Stuttgart High School, Germany was selected as a U.S. Department of Education 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar. 

Roth is a senior at Stuttgart High School and stands as a beacon of excellence in her community.  Through eight homes, nine different schools, and three countries, Roth has made a vibrant impact on her peers through her outstanding academic achievements, leadership prowess, and commitment to community service. 

Academically, Roth boasts a 4.6 GPA and has taken 20 AP classes in her high school career. She strives to learn new things and enjoys helping others through the Tutoring Works program at her school. Her favorite subjects include government and calculus. 

Roth is committed to helping her community by any means necessary. She has over 300 volunteer hours and is a key leader in various clubs and organizations in Stuttgart. As the Student Body President of Stuttgart High School, Roth has played a key role in communicating her classmate’s opinions to the administration, along with planning school-wide events. She co-runs the school's Instagram page which has amassed over 200,000 views and brought the international spotlight to the Stuttgart Community. Roth was also the former Youth Mayor of the United Service Organization’s Youth Council, planning garrison-wide events that cater to military children, such as middle school orientation programs and month of the military child events. 

Roth doesn’t stray away from taking initiative. In her first year at Stuttgart High School, she founded the Women in STEM club, which quickly grew to over 30 members. Interactive classes and lessons in STEM were taught at local elementary schools by WiSTEM members, from candy-DNA models to spaghetti and marshmallow structures. Roth has truly distinguished herself as a natural leader with a drive to make a positive impact.

Her true passion, however, lies in politics. As a member of the Model United Nations (MUN) Club for four years, she has been selected for the Prague MUN conference every year and has been recognized for her outstanding public speaking skills. At the DoDEA-Europe Model United States Senate conference last spring, she was awarded the nonpareil Best Democratic Senator award. Roth was also selected as a State Officer for the European Future Business Leaders of America organization and has won multiple awards in a range of topics from Impromptu Speaking to Business Ethics at the state level. Roth has also stepped out of her comfort zone to research starch-based bioplastics and was selected to present her research at the DoDEA-Europe Junior Science Humanities Symposium Regional Conference. 

Roth shows the true grit of military children and was selected as a finalist for the National Air Force Youth of the Year. She is a leader in her Army JROTC program at Stuttgart High School and has received both Air Force and Army four-year ROTC scholarships and hopes to utilize ROTC to continue her passion for public service as an officer in the U.S. Military. 

Roth has been admitted to several prestigious universities including Yale, Duke, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania; she ultimately chose to attend Stanford University this fall to study Political Science.

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on academic success, excellence in the arts and in technical education, through essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as a demonstrated commitment to community service and leadership.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardon announced the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars on May 9, 2024, recognizing 161 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields.

“The 161 high school seniors selected for the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Presidential Scholars represent the best of our nation’s schools and inspire hope in the bright future of this country,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “On behalf of President Biden, I am delighted to celebrate their accomplishments, and encourage these scholars to continue to aim high, lift up others, and embrace opportunities to lead.”

Of the 3.7 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 5,700 candidates qualified for the 2024 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT or ACT exams or through nominations made by chief state school officers, other partner recognition organizations and YoungArts, the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists.

As directed by Presidential Executive Order, the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of two students from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 scholars in the arts and 20 scholars in career and technical education.  

Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored over 8,200 of the nation's top-performing students. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary, and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. 2024 is the program’s 60th anniversary.

The Presidential Scholars Class of 2024 will be recognized for their outstanding achievement this summer with an online recognition program.

A complete list of 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars is available at http://www.ed.gov/psp.