Woodbridge
High
School
senior,
Will
Calli,
has
advanced
as
one
of
621
semi-finalists
from
across
the
country
to
be
a
U.
S.
Presidential
Scholar
for
Career
and
Technical
Education.
Each
year
only
161
students
are
named
Presidential
Scholars,
making
it
one
of
the
highest
honors
received
by
high
school
seniors
across
the
country.
The
career
and
technical
education
(CTE)
nominees
are
chosen
based
on
their
accomplishments
in
CTE
fields.
Students
are
nominated
through
their
Chief
State
School
Officer
(CSSO),
who
can
nominate
up
to
five
candidates
who
meet
the
U.S.
Presidential
Scholars
candidacy
requirements.
Calli
was
originally
nominated
at
the
state
level
by
his
Engineering
Teacher
Timothy
DeFelice,
who
was
impressed
with
his
determination
to
excel
in
the
engineering
program.
As
a
semi-finalist,
Calli's
candidacy
materials
will
be
reviewed
by
a
committee
and
evaluated
based
on
his
academic
achievement,
personal
characteristics,
leadership
and
service
activities,
and
the
quality
and
content
of
his
candidacy
materials.
The
U.S.
Presidential
Scholars
Program
was
created
in
1964
to
recognize
and
honor
outstanding
high
school
seniors
for
their
accomplishments
academically.
This
program
was
expanded
to
include
students
who
exhibit
ability
and
accomplishments
in
career
and
technical
education
fields
in
2015.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars winners will be announced later this month.