SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities Student Nominated for US Presidential Scholar in the Arts Program

South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities student Anna Castro Spratt, of Greer, has been nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts program, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school seniors demonstrating artistic and academic excellence. Castro Spratt is one of 60 students from 22 states, representing 10 distinct artistic disciplines, to receive this prestigious nomination.

This year, 175 students received the YoungArts "Winner with Distinction" designation out of 800 YoungArts winners. These students were invited to attend YoungArts Week in Miami, where participants were evaluated for scholarships and awards. A select few, including Castro Spratt, were nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts program. 

Castro Spratt is a senior in the Governor’s School’s Creative Writing program. Her writing has also been nationally recognized by the National Scholastic Writing Awards, and she was selected as the City of Greenville’s Youth Poet Laureate. Castro Spratt has also been recognized for civic engagement, winning the 2024 MissionSquare Bridgebuilder Award from the YMCA’s Youth in Government program when she served as Youth Governor of the South Carolina YMCA. She is a member of the Student Council and National Honor Society.

“YoungArts has the honor of being the sole nominating agency for the 60 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts nominees to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars,” said Clive Chang, President and CEO of YoungArts. “Each of these artists approaches their work with boundless curiosity and astounding intellect. We are eager to continue supporting them as they evolve on their journeys.”

In the coming months, the Commission will select 20 high school seniors from the nominee pool to receive the designation of U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the arts and academics, as well as their leadership, community service, and creativity.

Since its establishment in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored over 8,000 of the nation’s top-performing graduates. Selected students are honored during the National Recognition Program each June, where they receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion to commemorate their achievement. Alongside the 20 students chosen as Presidential Scholars in the Arts, the program also recognizes a male and female student from each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico as U.S. Presidential Scholars, as well as 20 students in Career and Technical Education fields.