BHS senior nominated for highest academic honor

Out of 3.2 million students, Bigfork High School senior Amber McDaniel was named one of 550 semifinalists in the 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, the highest academic honor in the country.

Application was by invitation only, students do not apply individually to the program, nor do their schools nominate them.

“The exclusivity of that award fits her as a person, she goes that much further in academics and life in general,” BHS principal Matt Porrovecchio said. “The community of Bigfork should be proud, it’s someone that’s part of the town and a neat kid.”

Semifinalists are selected based on a wide range of criteria, but primarily based on their academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character, and involvement in community and school activities. Grades, along with SAT and ACT test scores, play a major factor as well.

McDaniel had a 30 on the ACT and a 2280 on the SAT.

“When I got my (test) results back, it said it was in the top half percent of the nation, it was crazy, I didn’t expect it,” McDaniel said. “They say it (the award) is the highest honor a high school student can receive. It’s cool to know my hard work has paid off.”

McDaniel will know sometime this month if she is among the 141 finalists selected. If she is selected as a finalist she will fly to Washington D.C. with her English teacher and Speech and Drama coach, Charlie Appleby, to meet government officials, educators, authors, musicians, scientists and other accomplished people.

During the nomination process, McDaniel selected Appleby as having a significant impact on her achievements and he wrote essays about her that will be used as factors in determining if she will be a finalist.

“She’s so deserving of it,” Appleby said. “It’s great to see it all paying off for her. It’s a great teaching tool to point to her and say good things will happen if you work hard.”

Modesty has been McDaniel’s policy when it comes to her academic achievements. She is one of five valedictorians this year, earned a 4.0 for all four years of high school and has never received a grade lower than an A. Although her high school graduation isn’t until next month, she already has a semester of college completed as well.

“Other people have cool accomplishments too, so I don’t want to brag,” McDaniel said. “I made the accomplishment and that’s what matters to me.”

McDaniel is also involved in choir, National Honor Society, AmeriCorps, student council, athletics and has been active in the children’s theater since she was in fourth grade.

“I usually have something everyday, I get home at 8 p.m. and do homework until midnight,” McDaniel said. “It’s a never ending cycle.”

She credits her mother, Tammi McDaniel, as a major influence in her academics and extra curricular activities.

“My entire life has just been me and her and she’s made me who I am,” McDaniel said.

Earlier this year she won the state speech and drama competition with her Serious Solo inspired by “The Sixth Sense,” which she also wrote herself. To see a video of her solo go to the video section at www.bigforkeagle.com.

“Mr. Appleby has been a huge influence in my life and pushed me through my academic career to do my best in my classes,” McDaniel said. “He convinced me to do Speech and Drama and that’s allowed me to speak confidently in public, and eloquently too.”

McDaniel will be attending Arcadia University in Pennsylvania with a double major in psychology and criminal justice. Her aspiration is to work as a criminal profiler for the FBI.