Scott Seki of Punahou School and Tiffany Yee of Kamehameha Schools' Maui campus have been selected as 2006 Presidential Scholars by the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C.

Seki and Yee are among 141 outstanding high school seniors nationwide honored for their exceptional academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship and service at school and in their community. The scholarship recipients will visit Washington from June 24 to 27.

The scholars were selected on the basis of broad academic achievement, including SAT or ACT scores, essays and transcripts, as well as evidence of commitment to high ideals.

Since 1983, Presidential Scholars have been able to invite the teacher who most inspired them to excel to travel to Washington to participate in the program's National Recognition Week.

The teachers also receive a Teacher Recognition Award from the U.S. Education Department.

Seki chose Carol Lee of Hono-lulu and Yee chose Kevin O'Brien of Pukalani, Maui.

Seki will attend Stanford University in the fall. Yee will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she plans to major in biological sciences.