Simsbury High Student Named Governor's Scholar

A Simsbury High School student is one of 30 top juniors in the state designated a Governor's Scholar, according to a release from the school. 

Matthew Shaw was one of the students selected for the award, which celebrates top academic performance. The Governor's Scholar program award is sponsored by the Connecticut Association of Schools. Principals from member towns are given the opportunity to nominate one junior in the top fifth of the class to represent their school.

Simsbury High School Principal Neil Sullivan nominated Shaw. 

“Matt is a pretty amazing young man," Sullivan said in the release. "As gifted as he is academically, he might be even more accomplished with his music. Most importantly, I knew how well Matt would represent Simsbury High School in terms of his character, so really he was an easy choice for the Governor’s Scholarship nomination.”

Shaw said the honor was of special significance.

“My parents were proud for sure. But I was honored that Mr. Sullivan thinks that highly of me,” he said.

The 30 winners of the award were honored at the 17th Annual Governor’s Scholars Luncheon, which was held at the Aqua Turf in Southington on May 16. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy was present at the event and served as the keynote speaker. Mark Dixon, Meteorologist at WFSB Eyewitness News 3, was the Master of Ceremonies.

Shaw received a plaque designating him a Connecticut 2013 Governor’s Scholar and a check for $300. Thirty-two of Connecticut’s colleges and universities support this program by making gratis college level courses available to the 30 scholars. The University of Connecticut offers an Academic Excellence Scholarship for each of four academic years - valued at $5,000 a year - to all freshmen Governor’s Scholars enrolled for the fall 2014 entering class.

See a complete list of this year’s Governor’s Scholars on the CAS web site at www.casciac.org.