Colton's Luke Moore named Presidential Scholar

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | May 11, 20160

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Coltons Moore Named

Colton had possesion of the football on a November night in Asotin.

Wildcats’ lineman Luke Moore, lined up as a tight end in a playoff game, went out and the throw came to him wide open behind the Garfield/Palouse defense.

No. 71 ran for the end zone.

Now he’s on his way to Washington, D.C., as a 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholar.

U.S. Secretary of Education John King announced last Wednesday the selection of Luke Moore of Garfield, who attends Colton High School, as a 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholar.

Moore is one of 160 American high school seniors to be named for outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service and contribution to school and community. The U.S. Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments in an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., June 19-21.

Moore began the process last fall, nominated by Nathan Moore, his father and an 11-year FFA teacher in Colton. His mother Jessica is the ag/FFA teacher at Pullman High School.

A member of National Honor Society, Moore was co-captain for the Colton football and basketball teams, named as first-team all-league lineman in football. In FFA, he has been a three-year chapter officer, serving as the current president and the District Six Vice President this year.

“He’s one of my most active FFA kids I’ve ever had,” said Nathan Moore.

Last year, Luke was named 2015 Washington state star farmer for FFA, for his Supervised Agricultural Experience Project on beef production. The project was chosen as the top in Washington state. This year, ineligible to take first place again, his beef production project won the state proficiency award.

Moore has six of his own cows on the family property in Garfield.

This weekend Moore hopes to be chosen as one of five FFA state officers to spend the next year representing the organization around the state. If he is not chosen, he will enter WSU in August as a freshman ag education major.

“This year’s class of Presidential Scholars continues a more than 50-year trend of honoring students who’ve shown excellence in their educational, artistic and civic pursuits,” King said. “Thirty years ago, the program was expanded to include students in the arts, which is critical to providing students with a well-rounded education. Now, we’ve added 20 more slots to honor our highest achieving students in career and technical education, reflecting the Department’s belief that a quality education must be a well-rounded education that prepares students for college, careers and any other civic service.”

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by President Obama, selects honored scholars based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

Of the three million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 5,600 candidates qualified for the 2016 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams, and through nominations made by Chief State School Officers, other parter recognition organizations or the National YoungArts Foundation’s nationwide YoungArts competition.

The 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, and for the first time 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education.

Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored almost 7,000 of the nation’s top-performing students with the prestigious award given to honorees during the annual ceremony in D.C.

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.

Since 1983, each Presidential Scholar has been offered the opportunity to name his or her most influential teacher. Each distinguished teacher is honored with a personal letter from the Secretary of Education.

The teacher chosen for recognition by Moore was Jody Moehrle of Colton High School.