Former Discovery High School student named a U.S. Presidential Scholar

     Duc Duy Vo, a 2025 Discovery High School graduate, has been selected as a 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholar. He is one of only 161 students nationwide to receive the honor and one of only three Georgia students selected.

     “Being named a Presidential Scholar is an incredible honor, but I know I didn’t get here alone,” Vo says. “Attending Discovery High and being part of Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) in general has had a huge impact on who I am today. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities, experiences, and support I received throughout my journey.”

     As directed by Presidential Executive Order, the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 Scholars in the arts, and 20 Scholars in career and technical education. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary, and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education. For more than 60 years, this unique federal program has honored more than 8,000 U.S. Presidential Scholars, who have demonstrated leadership, scholarship, and contribution to school and community.

     Since 1983, each U.S. Presidential Scholar has been offered the opportunity to name his or her most influential teacher. Each distinguished teacher is honored with a personal letter from the Secretary of Education. Vo chose Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Robert Wade Rooker, the Senior Army Instructor of Discovery’s Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), for recognition.

     “Through rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) courses, I developed a strong academic foundation that has prepared me for the demands of college-level work. Beyond the classroom, serving as Battalion Commander of JROTC and drum major of the marching band, I learned how to lead by example and serve others,” Vo adds. “Those roles taught me that leadership isn’t about being in charge, it’s about lifting others and putting their needs before your own. That idea of being a servant leader is something I really believe in and want to keep building on.”

     Currently, Vo is a Cadet at Georgia Military College (GMC), where he will spend the next two years preparing academically, physically, and mentally before attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Vo aspires to become a U.S. Army Officer. He says his time at GMC is all about preparing to serve, not just in uniform, but as a leader ready to lead by example, take responsibility, and make a difference.