Valwood senior Jessica Marquardt has been named a Georgia Institute of Technology Presidential Scholar.  The President's Scholarship is Georgia Tech's premier merit-based award. It is offered to approximately 110 outstanding incoming freshmen who have demonstrated superb leadership skills, are among the top few in their class in academic performance, and show promise of continuing such performance in college and beyond. Of the 4700 applications submitted for the program, 450 were selected as semi-finalists.  Semi-finalists were required to submit recommendations and interview locally with a Presidential Scholarship selection committee.  One hundred ten of these semi-finalists were invited  to the Georgia Tech campus for a weekend of interviews with faculty, students and alumni.  Following the weekend, students were notified of their scholarship awards.  Jessica Marquardt was one of five in-state students and five out-of-state students that were offered full ride scholarships.

Jessica is the daughter of Ralph and Debbie Marquardt.  She is the 2005 STAR student at Valwood.  She also serves as the president of the Valwood Chapter of the National Honor Society, ran Varsity Cross Counrty for four years and is on the student advisory board of the Valdosta Food Bank.  Ms. Marquardt attended the Governor’s Honors Program at Valdosta State University in 2004.