Ashland High student named U.S. Presidential Scholar

ASHLAND, Ore. — An Ashland High schooler is being recognized by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. Kaitlyn Kim is one of 161 high schoolers to be named a Presidential Scholar, and one of only two here in Oregon.

It’s definitely well deserved as she has a 4.3 GPA, taken 12 AP classes, and scored a 1,580 on her SAT’s with a perfect biology score. She’s also a national merit scholar, a national AP scholar, and boasts several leadership positions at school and in the state.

Kim says she’s working remotely as the youngest research assistant in an environmental biostatistics lab at Harvard University. “There were approximately 625 semi-finalists in the nation and I was one of six in Oregon! Then this morning they had released the list of official U.S. Presidential Scholars,” said Kim.

Usually, Presidential Scholars are honored during a ceremony in Washington D.C., but that won’t happen this year due to COVID-19.

Kim plans to attend the Oregon State University Honors College in the fall and double major in Biochemistry and Biophysics and Management. She has her sights on eventually becoming a neurosurgeon.