Simsbury High School Senior Among Elite Students Selected for Nationwide Honor
Bronson Starsiak, a graduating senior at Simsbury High School, has been named one of more than 4,500 candidates in the 2019 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The candidates were selected from nearly 3.6 million students expected to graduate from U.S. high schools in the year 2019.
Inclusion in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, now in its 54th year, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character and involvement in community and school activities.
A distinguished panel of educators will review these submissions and select 600 semifinalists in early April. The Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of up to 32 eminent citizens appointed by the President, will select the finalists, and the U.S. Department of Education will announce the Scholars in May.
Scholars will be invited to Washington, DC, for several days in June to receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion at a recognition ceremony and to participate in events and activities.
Starsiak has shown exemplary community service by co-founding a charity that helps fellow students. S.K.O.R.E. - Students Keen on Recycling Equipment, is a nonprofit organization that collects new and gently used sports equipment and partners with underserved schools, teams, churches and communities to provide underserved students with the gear they need to participate in sports in order to promote health, self-esteem and collaboration.
Starsiak has previously been recognized for his charitable efforts by the Connecticut Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CTAHPERD), that recently selected him as the recipient of the esteemed "Young Advocate Award". He was also named a 2018 “Hometown Hero” by The Hartford Courant. He was awarded the 2018 Society of Women Engineers Certificate of Merit for his outstanding performance in math and science.
Bronson is the son of Dr. Wanda Kirejczyk and Don Starsiak of Simsbury.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 by Executive Order of the President to recognize some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments in many areas: academic success, leadership, and service to school and community. Annually, up to 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars are chosen from among that year’s senior class, representing excellence in education and the promise of greatness in America’s youth.
For general information about the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, please contact 202.401.0961 or http://www.ed.gov/psp.
SKORE, Students Keen on Recycling Equipment, is a not-for-profit organization created by Simsbury high school student Bronson Starsiak that collects gently used sports equipment for underprivileged kids. The not-for-profit collects new and gently used sports equipment and partners with underserved schools, teams, churches and communities to help outfit students for sports in order to promote health, self-esteem and collaboration. Visit https://skorebig.org/ for more information.
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PHOTO: Bronson Starsiak, a senior at Simsbury High School and Co-Founder and President of SKORE - Students Keen on Recycling Equipment, has been selected as a candidate in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.
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