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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler has nominated 25 North Dakota high school seniors to compete for Presidential Scholarships.

The nominees come from across the state. Next spring, one male and one female student will be chosen as North Dakota’s Presidential Scholars. Fewer than 170 students will be picked in the entire country.

A group of Presidential Scholar semifinalists will be made public next April. The winners will be announced in May of 2016.

Five of the North Dakota nominees were chosen for their skill in vocational education.

Former President Lyndon Johnson established the Presidential Scholars program in 1964 as a way to recognize the nation’s most academically accomplished high school seniors.

It has since been expanded to include students with exceptional talent in the arts and career and technical education.

The names and high schools of the nominees are listed below. The students whose names are in italics were suggested by the Department of Career and Technical Education.

Beulah: Alfred Schwalbe
Bismarck Century: Sedalia Mahlum
Carrington: Keaton Erickson
Central Cass, Casselton: Ian Saum
Fargo North: Sophie Johnson, Annika Kjar, Alexis Vannett
Fargo Davies: Nathaniel Thoreson
Grand Forks Central: Dashley Foltz
Grand Forks Red River: Aidan Matheney, Tai Mosley, Mari Rustebakke, Hannah Tinkler
Hillsboro: Evan Kritzberger
Our Redeemer’s Christian School, Minot: Ethan Hinkel
Mohall (Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood): Allison Voigt
New Rockford (New Rockford-Sheyenne): Heather Tollefson
Park River: Peyton Cole
Sargent Central, Forman: Jacob Nelson
Valley City: Mikaylah Ross
Wahpeton: Tracer Bowar, Whitney Welder
West Fargo: James Kollie
Wimbledon: Anthony Plumb
Wyndmere: Sierra Heitkamp