Local students are presidential scholars

Cliburn/Rodger Mallison/file
Kudos to Amir Siraj of Brookline, Sivaram S. Emani of Newton, Alkenly S. Ortiz of Lawrence, and Catherine L. Wang of Lexington for being named to this year’s class of US Presidential Scholars — one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. Next month they’ll be feted in Washington, D.C., with other presidential scholars from across the country. A ceremony will be held June 18 and they’ll each receive a presidential scholar medallion. Siraj (left), a 17-year-old Brookline High School senior and accomplished pianist, is one of only 20 students to be recognized as a US Presidential Scholar in the Arts. He’ll join the other arts scholars in a special concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on June 19.