Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor and The Connecticut Association of Schools have again collaborated to extend the Governor's Scholars Program.

Now in its seventeenth year, the purpose of the program is to recognize academically talented high school students in schools throughout the state and present thirty students for special recognition to the Governor of Connecticut.

All principals of CAS member high schools are given the opportunity to nominate one junior ranked in the top five percent of his/her class. An essay on an assigned topic has to be completed. Members of the Governor's Scholars Committee, professional educators from throughout Connecticut, judge the completed applications and assign a composite score to each based on rank in class, PSAT or SAT scores, CAPT scores (for public schools), and the student essay. Rita McDougald-Campbell, Chair of the Governor's Scholars Committee, is pleased to announce the thirty finalists in this year's competition and, on behalf of the CT State Department of Education and CAS, extends congratulations to:

• Priyanka Altman, Danbury High School
• Megan Burke, Guilford High School
• Casey Chase, Wilton High School
• Devavrat Dabke, Avon High School
• Harrison Davis, Hill Regional Career High School, New Haven
• Sarah Dinovelli, Robert E. Fitch High School, Groton
• Erin Dunn, Joseph A. Foran High School, Milford
• Ryan Englander, Suffield High School, West Suffield
• Molly Fitzgerald, W.F. Kaynor Technical High School, Waterbury
• Emily Hall, Mercy High School, Middletown
• Claire Howlett, Westhill High School, Stamford
• Lacia Japp, Montville High School, Oakdale
• Unni Kurumbail, East Lyme High School
• Annie MacLachlan, RHAM High School, Hebron
• Shawn McAuley, Platt Technical High School, Milford
• Brittani Murphy, Bristol Central High School
• Olivia Nordland, Litchfield High School
• John O'Rourke, New Canaan High School
• Andrew Ostrosky, Fairfield College Preparatory School
• Phoebe Petrovic, Valley Regional High School, Deep River
• Romana Pilepich, Bethel High School
• Connor Reardon, East Granby High School
• Amy Robinson, Old Saybrook High School
• Matthew Shaw, Simsbury High School
• Rhea Sindvani, Farmington High School
• Caleb Sisson, Wolcott High School
• Steven Sobel, Staples High School, Westport
• Kevin Sullivan, North Branford High School
• Jeremy Wolin, Amity Regional High School, Woodbridge
• Douglas Wu, Daniel Hand High School, Madison