Liam Baughman Selected as a Governor's Scholar

Thirty of Connecticut's top juniors were honored at the Eighteenth Annual Governor's Scholars Luncheon at the Aqua Turf on May 22, 2014. Sponsored by Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS), the purpose of this program is to recognize academically talented and accomplished students in high schools throughout the state.

Each of the CAS member high schools may nominate one junior in the top 5% of his/her class to enter the Governor's Scholars competition. This year, each nominated student responded in writing to the essay prompt, "Given the ever-increasing sophistication and pervasiveness of technology, how do we balance the need to protect civil rights against the public's need to access information?" Members of the Governor's Scholars Committee, educators throughout Connecticut, chose scholars on the basis of their response to this prompt as well as other factors such as class rank and grade point average. In addition to receiving a plaque, each Governor's Scholar is offered numerous gratis academic opportunities by various colleges and universities throughout the state; and, each Governor's Scholar qualifies for a University of Connecticut Academic Excellence Scholarship.

In her welcoming remarks, Donna Hayward, principal of Suffield High School and vice-president of CAS, spoke to the scholars about the responsibilities they faced. "Some of you in this room may find a cure for Parkinson's disease, which by the way runs in both sides of my family, so I would really appreciate that. One of you may engineer a safer car before my daughter starts driving. One of you in fact may move closer to a more peaceful co-existence with other countries and cultures before my future grandchildren march off to war. Please try. Please be the scholars that you are and value what you have been given. Use your gifts to make someone, something, somewhere better."

Congratulations to William Baughman of Ridgefield High School for being selected as one of the Governor's Scholars.