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Greece Athena Student Named Presidential Scholar of the Arts

Greece Athena High School senior Michael Leadbetter is being honored with the 2012 Presidential Scholar of the Arts award.

The program recognizes high school students for their grades, artistic achievement as well as community involvement and leadership among other criteria.

“It was honestly very surprising but it feels great. It's just surreal to be recognized on a national level,” Leadbetter said.

He was selected from 3,300 applicants nationwide and he's the only recipient from the Rochester area.

Leadbetter says he hopes to pursue a career in acting or musical theater. He says he’s auditioned for several colleges including Ithaca, Nazareth, and the University of Cincinnati.

He will receive a presidential scholar medallion during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. next month.