Well, I did hear back from the Department of Education. Here's what they had to say:
Thank you for your email to the U.S. Department of Education with an interest in the President's Educational Awards Program (PEAP), formerly known as the President's Academic Fitness Awards.For more information on PEAP, including the criteria for recognition, feel free to visit the link on the U.S. Department of Education's website dedicated to the program at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/presedaward/index.html. This program has provided individual recognition to elementary, middle and secondary school students whose outstanding efforts have enabled them to meet challenging standards of excellence since 1983.
My bad for assuming this country doesn't promote or recognize academic achievement. I can't imagine why I would think such a thing. After all, the PEAP was started a mere 17 years after the Presidential Physical Fitness Award.
You can find more of the interesting word usements I structure* on Apple.com.
Read my article, Better Writing Through Design, on No. 242 of A List Apart.
Pick up issue 176 of .net magazine to read my thoughts on creating outstanding web copy.
Watch a video of the Design Eye for South By panel at SXSW Interactive 2008. Or view the slide deck at DesignEye.org.
*With apologies to Harris K. Telemacher.