White House Photo Gallery

President John F. Kennedy speaks with 1962 STS finalists at the White House. During their meeting, the president quipped, “I don’t know anyone in Washington who could pass [the Science Talent Search examination], particularly in the White House.”

President John F. Kennedy shakes hands with STS finalist Robert Strom during a visit to the White House in 1962. After their meeting, the president arranged a tour for the students of the recently redecorated White House reception rooms.

1965 STS finalists on the White House lawn with President Lyndon B. Johnson. He urged the students to do their part to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future, stating, “The end of both politics and science must be the same—to serve humanity.”

President Lyndon B. Johnson’s beagle “Him” shows off for 1965 STS finalists at the White House. During their visit, the students also heard an address from President Johnson in the White House Cabinet Room.

STS finalists pose with Vice President Hubert Humphrey at the 1967 Awards Gala. In his speech at the Gala, Humphrey challenged the students to consider ways to solve the world’s pressing problems—pollution, food shortage, and threats of nuclear war.

1967 STS finalist Martha Verbrugge shakes hands with Vice President Hubert Humphrey at the Awards Gala. Earlier in the week, Verbrugge and her fellow finalists also met with members of Congress at the Capitol Building.

At the 1967 Awards Gala, Vice President Hubert Humphrey congratulates STS winner Nevin Summers, a current member of the Society for Science’s National Leadership Council. Summers received the top prize for his study of fiddler crabs.

The top five 1967 STS winners at the Awards Gala with Vice President Hubert Humphrey. The five finalists are, from left to right, Nobel Prize winner and former Society Board member Frank Wilczek, Daniel Weisser, Nevin Summers, Mark Cullen, and Steven Binder.

A Science News article discusses the 1978 STS finalists’ visit with President Jimmy Carter at the White House. The president told the students, “I am grateful for what you mean to us, and on behalf of the people of our country, I thank you.”

This contact sheet from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library’s collection shows images of the president’s meeting with STS finalists in 1983. This gallery features two full-size images pulled from the Library’s contact sheets from that visit.

1983 STS finalists meet with President Ronald Reagan at the White House. Finalist Alexandra Kroeger called the meeting the highlight of her trip, saying, “It’s incredible that he was taking so much of his time” to talk with the students.

President Ronald Reagan speaks to 1983 STS finalists in the Roosevelt Room. Finalist Victoria Romani recalled that the president “got kind of emotional. Looking across the room, he said he sees a lot of hope. . . . We got emotional too.”