Started in 1948 for Los Angeles area high schools, the Bank of America Achievement Awards Program includes more than 300,000 graduating seniors from virtually every high school in California, with annual cash awards exceeding $280,000.

These awards recognize and honor outstanding high school seniors whose scholastic attainment, sense of responsibility and evidence of leadership give the most promise of future success and service to society. The program is structured to honor student achievement on as broad a level as possible, with identical awards made in separate academic categories and in ten independent geographical divisions covering the entire state.

The selection process begins at the individual high schools where faculty committees select their outstanding students in specific study areas. Each student receives a certificate of achievement deemed appropriate by the school.

The committee also chooses its top students in each of four general study areas: applied arts/trades, fine arts, liberal arts, and science and mathematics. While scholastic ability is a major factor in the selection process, receipt of honors, awards and recognition, and participation in school and community activities are also evaluated to reflect a student's overall accomplishments.

General study area winners at each school receive personally engraved Achievement Award plaques and become eligible to participate in the program's next level of competition, the selection of finalists for regional events.

At the regional competition, finalists prepare a written statement in response to a question given in the particular general study area. All finalists then participate in a group discussion before a judging panel on topics related to their prepared statement. The judging panel consists of educators, civic leaders and business leaders.

First-place winners in each general study area receive the top award of $2,000. The second-place winners receive $1,500 and the third-place winners receive $1,000. All other participating finalists will receive $500.