Los Altos Hills student Kenric Tam received top honors last week when he was named a 2008 Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

Tam, a Gunn High School senior, is one of 139 outstanding American high school seniors who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship and service at school and in their community. Tam and the other Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments June 21-24 in Washington, D.C. It will be Tam’s first trip to the national capital.

“I never really expected to be a Presidential Scholar,” Tam said. “I’m really honored to be able to go to Washington, D.C., for the recognition week.”

Tam, who received the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts youngARTS $5,000 Silver Medal Award in classical piano in February, is an A student with a 4.46 grade-point average and an SAT score of 1590. He has won numerous national and international piano competitions, given solo performances in the United States and Europe and volunteered his skills for benefit concerts and teaching others. Tam plans to study biology and piano performance at Harvard University this fall.

“The 2008 Presidential Scholars shine a bright hope on the future of our country,” said Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education. “Not only have these young graduates demonstrated exemplary discipline and achievement in academics and the arts, but they have also exhibited exceptional leadership and service to their local communities. Their commitment to excellence and contributions to society reflect the character and innovation necessary to keep America both competitive economically and collaborative in overcoming challenges within our global community.”

The 139 Presidential Scholars include 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 and 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts. A 29-member Commission on Presidential Scholars appointed by President George W. Bush selected the 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.

For the past 44 years, the program has honored more than 5,000 of the nation’s top-performing students. Of the 3 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 3,000 candidates qualified on the basis of outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams or by nomination through the nationwide young- ARTS program.

The Presidential Scholars program was created in 1964 to honor academic achievement. It was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts.

Since 1983, each Presidential Scholar has invited his or her most inspiring and challenging teacher to travel to Washington, D.C., to receive a Teacher Recognition Award from the U.S. Department of Education and to participate in the recognition events.

Tam invited teacher Hans Boepple of San Jose to receive the Teacher Recognition Award.