WINDHAM – Both of the high school seniors selected as 2013 Presidential Scholars from the state of Maine hail from Windham, a unique accomplishment, officials say.

Jameson McBride and Taylor Church, lifelong Windham residents, were selected earlier this week as two of the 141 national Presidential Scholars. They were chosen among a field of 3,300 applicants who scored high on SAT and ACT exams and wrote compelling essays in successive rounds of the annual competition, which factors in academic scholarship as well as artistic excellence, community service and leadership.

The 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholars are made up of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

McBride is the first Windham High School student to receive the Presidential Scholar accolade. He also learned earlier this week that he is the school’s first-ever finalist in the National Merit Scholarship competition, Principal Chris Howell said.

McBride has been accepted at Columbia University in New York City, where he plans to study economics and sustainable development, which is a hybrid economics and environmental science program.

Church is a senior at Catherine McAuley High School in Portland and attended Catholic schools in and around Portland starting in kindergarten. She has been accepted to top-ranked schools, Yale and Johns Hopkins among them, and plans to study biomedical engineering.

Both Church and McBride were excited about receiving what is one of the highest accolades a high school student can receive. As winners, they will attend a June 16 White House reception attended by President Barack Obama where they will receive the Presidential Scholar Medallion.

“It’s a huge honor,” Church said. “I didn’t really expect to get it. I got the letter in the mail and was completely surprised and had to fill out another application and from there on it was completely amazing. I get to go to Washington, D.C., and go to the White House. It’s going to be incredible.”

McBride described his reaction to winning as “surprised and very, very happy.” He credits the staff at Windham schools for helping him along the way.

“I think the fact that we’re both [Presidential Scholars] shows that if you work hard and apply yourself and dedicate yourself to academics you can end up at the same level from a public school as to a private school. And I think that Windham certainly provides more than enough for kids to succeed at a really high level,” McBride said. “We have some really strong teachers in all subjects that have been essential to all of us. And I think that Windham academically is far under appreciated. We have a lot of resources, certainly an amazing building and facilities and really great teachers too.”

The initial threshold for becoming a Presidential Scholar were SAT or ACT scores. McBride earned a 35 out of 36 on the ACT exam and Church earned a 2,300 out of 2,400 on the SAT. The high scores automatically qualified them to apply for the program, which culled final recipients based on essays. One of the questions in the essay portion asked students to list their most influential teacher. That teacher also receives an invitation to the White House reception.

Rick Nickerson, who directs the Windham Chamber Singers and is a music teacher at Windham High School, will attend the early June reception with McBride.

“I’ve taken classes with Dr. Nick all four years, and he’s also my chorus director at my church, so I have over the years learned a lot from Dr. Nick,” McBride said.

The topic of McBride’s college application essays and the Presidential Scholar essay explored how singing in an ensemble mirrors that of a team where everyone is working toward one goal.

“What I’ve learned singing in choirs largely stems from the lessons he has taught, so I’m excited that he’s going to get recognized because I think he certainly deserves it,” McBride said.

Nickerson said he was “humbled” to have been chosen by McBride, whom he described as a talented student and musician.

“He’s been a member of Chamber Singers for four years, he’s an extremely gifted singer and actor and has been involved in our musicals. But also, Jamie is part of my church choir as well. So, I’ve probably gotten to know him a little better than some of my other students,” Nickerson said.

“When I found out I was pretty emotional about that because so many students come through my door and I get to know so many students, but it kind of stops you in your tracks when you realize, wow, I did have an impact,” Nickerson added.

Church’s most influential teacher is now-retired Sister Ruth Conlogue, her biology teacher. Church was the only freshman in the sophomore-level science class and credits Sister Ruth, as the students called her, with inspiring her love of science.

“She cultivated a thirst for knowledge in her students and she just had such a no-nonsense attitude that made me really afraid of her at first, although she’s basically 5 feet tall and a nun. But by the end of the year we all just loved her dearly,” Church said. “She was just so challenging. She loved what she was doing and because of her really, and just a general interest in science, I’m going on into biomedical engineering, and I think she really helped me to get there.”

Conlogue, who taught at McAuley for 42 years, “ever since they opened the doors,” before retiring two years ago, she said, was amazed Church would remember her in her essay.

“I’m honored that she would say that. But she did the work,” Conlogue said. “She’s a very hard-working student. I had her when she was a first-year student in a sophomore honors class, which is challenging for anybody. She could handle it very well. She’s a very bright girl. She’s a hard worker, very conscientious. I’m very glad that I had some influence on her.”

The principals at both Windham High School and Catherine McAuley were thrilled with the honors, as well.

Peg Downing, principal at Catherine McAuley, joked that “there must be something in the water” in Windham and praised Church’s determined attitude.

“She is intelligent, disciplined, has a compassionate heart and works hard at everything she does, whether it’s in the classroom or serving people,” Downing said. “And she is graduating as our valedictorian, and clearly has had her choice of schools.”

Principal Chris Howell at Windham was similarly impressed.

“We’re very proud of Jameson and all of his achievements at Windham High School, and for this to be his final recognition before graduating, we’re pretty excited about that,” Howell said.

Howell is also impressed that McBride, who skipped a grade, was still able to compete with applicants a year older.

“But he is just a young man who is very mature, very humble with all of the accolades that he has received; he’s just a down-to-earth kid. And for a kid who you want to represent your school, Jameson McBride is the one. I’m so proud of him and the recognition he has brought to the school,” Howell said.

The Windham residents’ award wasn’t missed by U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree’s office, which sent out a congratulatory statement of their own.

“Congratulations to Taylor and Jameson on receiving this very prestigious honor. With only 141 out of three million students in the country being selected this year, they have distinguished themselves not only in academic excellence but as young, passionate leaders,” Pingree said. “I think this honor also represents all the great support these two students have received from their parents, teachers, and community. The town of Windham should be very proud.”

Taylor ChurchJameson McBride