Anthony Arya, a senior at Kirby School and 2020 National YoungArts Foundation award winner, has been named a 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students.
This year, 161 graduating high school seniors are being recognized.
Anthony Arya, 2020 Presidential Scholar in the Arts, put out his second album in April.
Arya joins an illustrious group of YoungArts and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts alumni, including Tony Award-nominated performer and choreographer Desmond Richardson; Los Angeles Music Center President Rachel S. Moore; novelist and National Book Award finalist Allegra Goodman; Grammy Award-nominated violinist Jennifer Koh; Bravo’s “Work of Art” winner Abdi Farah; Obie Award-winning actress Donna Lynne Champlin; and RCA Records award-winning singer-songwriter and Grammy Award-nominated artist Chris Young.
“From basketball to mathematics to music, Anthony has always brought his whole heart to whatever he commits to. He’s been generous with his time and talents and we couldn’t be more proud of him,” said Christy Hutton, head of Kirby School.
Arya, who was on Season 15 of The Voice in 2018, is headed to Stanford University in the fall, majoring in American studies and music.
His first album, Going To California, was released in December 2018, and his second album, “The Road” came out in April — in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic,
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos congratulated this year’s honorees for their outstanding academic achievement, community service, and leadership.
“While they are facing unprecedented challenges as they graduate from high school into a world that looks much different than it did just a few months ago, their determination, resilience, and commitment to excellence will serve them well as they pursue their next steps,” she said.
Sarah Arison, chairwoman of National YoungArts Foundation, said, “Now, more than ever, it is important that we as a country celebrate the hope and promise of the next generation of great architects and designers, writers and poets, and visual and performing artists.”
Scholars are selected annually by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by the President, based on academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership and service activities and writing ability. This year, more than 5,300 students qualified based on performance on the College Board SAT or ACT exams, or nominations made by Chief State School Officers, partner organizations or the National YoungArts Foundation.
One young man and one young woman are chosen from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, up to 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts and up to 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, which has honored 7,600 of the nation’s top high school seniors, marks its 56th anniversary this year.
National YoungArts Foundation was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison o identify the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary and performing arts, and provides them with creative and professional development opportunities throughout their careers.
The application process for ages 15–18, or grades 10-12, is highly competitive, judged by discipline-specific panels of artists through a blind adjudication process.
All YoungArts award winners receive financial awards and the chance to learn from notable artists and mentors such as Debbie Allen, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Frank Gehry, Wynton Marsalis, Salman Rushdie and Mickalene Thomas as well as past YoungArts award winners such as Daniel Arsham, Terence Blanchard, Camille A. Brown, Viola Davis, Allegra Goodman, Josh Groban, Judith Hill, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Andrew Rannells, Desmond Richardson and Hunter Schafer.
YoungArts award winners are eligible for creative development support including fellowships and residencies and awards; professional development opportunities in partnership with major institutions nationwide; financial support; and access to YoungArts Post, a private, online portal for YoungArts artists to connect, share their work and discover new opportunities.