Northwest Career and Technical Academy senior named as US Presidential Scholar

Only one Clark County School District student was named among this year’s U.S. Presidential Scholars, a group of 161 students selected from across the nation.

The U.S. Department of Education this month announced the selection of Mackenzie Wooten, a senior at Northwest Career and Technical Academy, for demonstrating excellence in career and technical education, or CTE, a new category added this year to the recognition program that President Lyndon B. Johnson established in 1964.

Brook Higbee, who attends Pahranagat Valley High School in the Lincoln County School District, and Haydn Bradstreet, who attends the Davidson Academy of Nevada in Reno, also made the list for their excellence in academics.

The Clark County School District recognized Wooten in a statement late Thursday.

“Career and technical educational programs are so important in supporting students like me who are pursuing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields,” Wooten said in the statement.

“I think with the expansion of STEM careers in America, CTE programs must be prioritized in response,” she added. “It is such an honor to be recognized by a country and a program that I love.”

The U.S. Department of Education invites students to apply for the scholars program based only on their scores on college-entrance exams or through nomination by their state schools chief or partnering organizations.

Previously recognized scholars include Merrick Garland, whom President Barack Obama nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, and Mitch Daniels, former governor of Indiana.

Wooten plans to study physics at the California Institute of Technology, according to the statement. The White House next month will host a ceremony for the scholars in Washington, D.C.

Contact Neal Morton at nmorton@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279. Find him on Twitter: @nealtmorton