Shelton BOE honors scholar leader award winners
SHELTON — Four local students are among this year’s Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Scholar Leader Award winners.
The Board of Education, during its remote meeting Wednesday, paid tribute to Shelton Intermediate School students Lillya Akande and Luke Sanborn and Shelton High School seniors Destony Haray and Bobby Marcinauskis with some virtual applause.
SIS Principal Dina Marks and interim SJS Principal Kathy Riddle both appeared on the Zoom call to detail why the students earned CABE honors for this school year.
Haray is student council president, vice president of the National Honor Society and art club, and parliamentarian for Model United Nations Club, Riddle said. She also volunteers at the Red Cross, Harvest House and Beardsley Zoo, among others.
Haray will be attending the University of Rhode Island in the fall to study finance.
Marcinauskis is student council master of arms, a junior statesmen of the America National Honor Society, a member of the World Language Honor Society, a multicultural ambassador, president of the drama club, and an actor and employee at Center Stage Theatre.
Marcinauskis will be attending the University of Rochester in the fall to study economics.
Marks noted that both SIS honorees finished the third marking period with a grade point average of 4.330. She added that the pair are within 2/ 100ths of a point from each other for their cumulative GPA for eighth grade.
“In talking to the teachers of these incredible young people, both teams of teachers agree that some day they are going to change the world,” said Marks. “These young students reflect everything that is good about Shelton’s youth and Shelton schools."
Marks said Sanborn is known around school as “the kid with the patent” for his car cup holder invention.
“He is clearly inquisitive and motivated, but beyond that, he searches for ways to expand his horizon, whether it be competing in the American Legion Oratorical Contest — he placed third — or helping a friend in a difficult class tackle a problem,” said Marks.
Sanborn is a member of the school’s Math Counts team and takes algebra 2.
“Just before we broke for distance learning, Luke was working on a mock trial project,” said Marks. “Luke took on a lead role as the attorney of our star witness. He spent day after day pouring over documents, identifying angles to argue and building the strongest case for his client. Even more commendable than that, he included his partner, who sometimes struggled to come up with ideas, in every step of crafting their argument. He would direct his partner in how to help, delegating responsibilities and encouraging him along the way.”
Akande, according to Marks, is mature, intelligent and humble.
"When her teachers compliment her, she is gracious and thankful, sweet and polite,” said Marks. “On top of all of this, she is funny and kind and always has a positive attitude. She is never condescending and is the first to volunteer to help her peers in completing their work, offering encouragement, even organizing them to help them succeed.”
Akande was selected as a student council rep for Team Determination, and her teachers note that she is “extremely aware of world issues and cares deeply about the environment and civil rights for all.”