Six City Secondary Students Earn Awards for Outstanding Citizenship

Six Middletown Public Schools students were selected among over 400 submissions to receive the 17th annual Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Student Leadership Award. They were recognized Tuesday night at the board's regular meeting.

The eighth-grade recipients from Woodrow Wilson Middle School are Jesse Colton and Isabelle Morales.  

The 12th-grade recipients from Middletown High School are Gregory Gaylord and DeAsia Lawrence.


“The District is very proud of our students. Their achievements are quite impressive,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patricia Charles.  

The students were recognized at the Board of Education’s regular meeting on May 14 at 7 p.m. in City Hall’s Common Council Chambers.  

The sixth-grade recipients from Keigwin Middle School are Ethan Barker and Syleena Daniels. 

Wilson Principal Joe Cassella said students selected exhibited leadership, good character and community awareness and winners performed well academically, athletically and in extra-curricular activities, according to the Middletown Press.

Keigwin Principal Silvio Mayo Molina said that Barker and Daniels “provided numerous examples of their diplomacy skills, of their genuine concern for others and their natural ability to understand issues in order to solve problems,” according to the Middletown Press.

“It is so important that our students get out in the community to serve,” stated Board of Education Chairman Gene Nocera. “They have modeled commitment and consistency in their academics and service journeys,” he added.

This program was developed by CABE to provide an opportunity for local boards of education to recognize student achievement and potential, as community leaders.   

Students were selected from among their peers for exhibiting leadership qualities as defined by criteria developed by a subcommittee of CABE’s Board of Directors.