Durham Students Honored as Top Scholar-Athletes

GLASTONBURY, CONN. (May 2015) - High school seniors from Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Hampton, Higganum, Killingly, Middletown, Moodus, Old Saybrook, Portland, and Westbrook were recognized as the state’s top scholar-athletes at the 2015 Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS)/ Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Scholar-Athlete Banquet sponsored by McDonald’s. This year, McDonald’s Brand Ambassador John Cisna, the Iowa high school teacher who lost nearly 60 pounds eating only at McDonald’s served as the guest speaker at the awards banquet.

A 32-year sponsor of the program with a longstanding commitment to educational programs in Connecticut, McDonald’s joined CAS/CIAC to honor the following local students as the best of the best in the state at an awards ceremony held at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, Conn. on May 3.

• Jen Dawson and Brian Gendron, The Morgan School, Clinton
• Lauren Tracey and Jared Darius, Cromwell High School, Cromwell
• Abigail Wolff and David Joseph Berardis, Valley Regional High School, Deep River
• Bailey Thayer and Christian Alberico, Coginchaug Regional High School, Durham
• Emily Weber and Eli Gates, East Hampton High School, East Hampton
• Olivia Parmelee and Zachary Westerbeke, Haddam-Killingworth High School, Higganum
• Kailyn Marcotte and Owen Guillot, Killingly High School, Killingly
• Joslyn Tellier and Chicago Rogers, Harvard Ellis Technical High School, Killingly
• Kendra Landy, Mercy High School, Middletown
• Matthew Daigle, Xavier High School, Middletown
• Madison Feshler and Kendar Serindag, Middletown High School, Middletown
• Kristin Crowley and Wilson Nickel, Vinal Technical High School, Middletown
• Emily Traceski and Brian Johnson, Nathan Hale Ray High School, Moodus
• Danielle LaMay and Mitchell Lee, Old Saybrook High School, Old Saybrook
• Kayla Hardesty and Jonathan Dolan, Portland High School, Portland
• Angelina Raffone and Seamus Ashburner, Westbrook High School, Westbrook

“McDonald’s has been a proud sponsor of the CAS Scholar Athlete Awards for 32 years and each year we are truly amazed by these Scholar Athletes, who thrive in both academic and athletic achievement,” said Scott Taylor, McDonald’s owner/operator and president of the Connecticut and Western Massachusetts McDonald’s Owner/Operator Association.

The Connecticut High School Scholar-Athlete 2015 Awards Banquet is the largest program of its type in the state. Only one male and one female student are eligible for the award through a nomination from their principal for: demonstrating exemplary academic and athletic careers including participating in an interscholastic athletics; possessing personal standards and achievements that are a model to others; exhibiting outstanding school; and community service and carrying themselves with high levels of integrity, self-discipline and courage.

About McDonald’s

The Connecticut and Western Massachusetts McDonald’s Owner/Operator Association is comprised of local McDonald’s restaurant owners who are community and industry leaders. They have a long-standing commitment to supporting educational initiatives and organizations in the communities they serve, including providing resources to promote balanced, active lifestyles to kids and nutritional information for families. For more information, follow us on Instagram or Twitter @McD_CTWMA.

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