Jordan Rosen, a senior at Roslyn High School, will find out in the next month whether he has been selected as a semifinalist in the U.S. Presidential Scholar Program.
Rosen in January was one of 3,000 candidates invited to apply to the annual program, which recognizes high school students for their academic and extracurricular achievements.
“I got something in the mail, a letter telling me congratulations,” he said Tuesday. “At first I was a little confused because it wasn’t on my radar at all, but I was honored and happy to be rewarded for my hard work.”
In early May, the 141 U.S. Presidential Scholars are notified and receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. for a medallion ceremony sponsored by the White House.
“It would be a great honor for me because it would showcase who I am as a person,” Rosen said. “Those essay questions [on the program application] were about me. It would show I’m not just a strong academically, as a student, but also that I’m a very well-rounded person.”
Rosen is the president of the Roslyn High School math team, was a founding member of the school’s new boys badminton team and even performs as the school’s bulldog mascot at district events.
“You have to have a lot of school spirit [to be the mascot] because you’re going to the schools with a lot of younger kids and if you’re not energetic, they’re not going to be energetic and match that spirit,” he said. “You just have to embrace the costume and have fun.”
Outside of school, Rosen has tutored younger students at the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center through its mentorship programs and works as a babysitter.
“I try to find a balance in my activities. I don’t want to do too many things, but I have to be committed to the point that I’m more than just a member,” he said. “I try to pick things I’m passionate about and make contributions to everything I’m a part of.”
One such area was badminton, an activity he and his friends enjoyed during gym class but could not participate in at a varsity level because the school did not offer a team until this year – when he volunteered to recruit players.
“We got a bunch of younger kids to sign up, enough to run the team this year,” Rosen said. “There were eight or nine other teams throughout our conference and we were competitive in a bunch of the matches. We did surprisingly well for a group that really only played in gym class.”
