BERLIN — Two Berlin High School seniors have been selected to represent their school as Scholar-Athletes through the Connecticut Association of Schools and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference.
Ryan Lavender and Gabriella Santoro were chosen for the honor, which recognizes students who show strong performance in both academics and athletics, along with leadership, integrity and commitment.
Each year, two seniors from member high schools across the state are selected based on their achievements in the classroom, on the field and in their communities. The students are also expected to set a positive example for others.
Berlin High School officials said both students have shown a strong balance between schoolwork and extracurricular activities throughout their high school years.
Lavender has been a member of the varsity football team during all four years of high school and served as team captain as a senior. His team won the Class M championship. He earned All-State and All-Conference honors and was named the state’s top linebacker by Sports Illustrated.
During his junior year, an injury kept him off the field, but he remained active by helping the defensive coaching staff. He also plays baseball and takes part in other sports, including basketball, bowling and golf.
In addition to sports, Lavender has been involved in several school clubs, including Upbeat and Interact Club. He also helped start the school’s Best Buddies chapter. His academic honors include All-Academic Scholastic Athlete, the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award and membership in both the Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society and the National Honor Society. He also earned the Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish.
Lavender has also volunteered in the community, including coaching youth sports and helping with local programs. He plans to continue playing baseball at Polk State College in Florida before transferring to a four-year school.
Santoro has also shown strong leadership both in the classroom and in sports. She is a member of the varsity girls soccer team and served as captain during her junior and senior years. She has earned All-Conference, All-Academic and All-State honors, and was named MVP of the Senior Bowl game.
Academically, Santoro has earned High Honors throughout high school.
She is also active in school and community programs. As a member of Upbeat, she has helped with fundraising events, worked at the Berlin Fair and supported event planning. She is also a member of the National Honor Society.
After graduation, Santoro plans to attend the University of New England, where she will play Division III soccer.
Both students were recognized at the annual Scholar-Athlete banquet held at the Aqua Turf.
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- all-state
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- connecticut association of schools
- connecticut interscholastic athletic conference
- gabriella santoro
- germany
- polk state college
- ryan lavender
- scholar athletes
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- University of New England
- varsity football team
- varsity girls soccer team