Erica Wurth and H.G. Page, seniors at Paducah Tilghman High School, have been named Candidates in the 2025 United States Presidential Scholars Program by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars and the United States Department of Education.
Of the nearly 3.6 million high school seniors graduating this year, approximately 5,000 students from across the country have been selected to participate in the prestigious recognition program, including approximately 90 Kentucky high school seniors. The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 by executive order of the President to recognize and honor some of the nation's most distinguished high school seniors. Students are selected based on academic success, leadership, and service to school and community.
The Commission on Presidential Scholars will select 500 semifinalists from the national pool of honored students. In the spring, up to 161 of those students, including one male and one female from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and from families of U.S. citizens living abroad, will be named as U.S. Presidential Scholars. These students will be recognized at the White House later this summer.
Erica is an AP Scholar with Honor, a graduate of the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce Youth LEAD Class #13 and was named the Youth LEAD Outstanding Student for the class. She has been the recipient of Tilghman’s Annual Departmental Top Student Awards eight times: three years in Social Studies, one year in Math, two years in English, and two years in Science.
She’s a PTHS Student Ambassador and Paducah Bank Student Ambassador, and member of Interact Club, National Honor Society, Pep Club, Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Tilghman Concert Choir. She’s the President of Future Business Leaders of America and has garnered regional and state FBLA awards. She’s a member of Greater Paducah Young Life and is a mentor and leader for Greater Paducah Wyldlife, a faith-based program designed for middle school youth. She’s also a lifelong member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church.
This is Erica’s second year as Captain of the PTHS Varsity Soccer team and she was named MVP both junior and senior years. Since 2015, she has also been a member of the Pumas Futbol Club and was part of the team winning Team Runner-up in the State Cup Tournament in 2023. She’s employed by Strawberry Hills Pharmacy.
She is the daughter of Renee and Matthew Wurth.
H.G. is an AP Scholar and an alumnus of the Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program. He was also accepted into the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts. He’s a four-year member of Tilghman’s Marching, Concert and Pep Bands and was recently selected by audition for the 2025 KMEA All-State Jazz Band. He’s held the position of first or second chair bassoon for the KMEA All-District Band each year. He’s chaired every year for regional honor bands such as WKU’s Honor Band and the Quad-State Band and was nominated by the Musicians Abroad Program for the biannual international trip to perform in multiple countries.
He’s a four-year member of Tilghman’s Concert Choir and the acapella ensemble, Prime Rib, and has been selected for the KMEA All-State and First District Choirs each year. He’s also a member of the National Honor Society and Tilghman’s Sustainability Club.
H.G. is a lifelong member of Trinity United Methodist Church where he also serves as Youth Leader, pianist for the music department, and leader and member of the praise band each Sunday. He’s been a regular participant with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra Camp for the past eight years. A pianist, he takes professional lessons weekly and performs regularly for various entities and events in the community.
He is the son of Shana and Steven Page.
“In addition to demonstrating exceptional scholarship, Erica and H.G. have shown a genuine and longstanding commitment to endeavors that bring meaning to the lives of everyone around them,” said Dr. Donald Shively, Superintendent of Paducah Public Schools. “We are very proud to see their efforts recognized and their names listed among the nation’s most outstanding high school seniors.”
Pictured: H.G. Page (L) and Erica Wurth