West Hartford Student Named U.S. Presidential Scholar

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A West Hartford high school senior has been chosen as a 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholar, the U.S. Department of Education announced.

Maya Prafulla Shah Palanki, a senior at Conard High School, was one of only two Connecticut students to be recognized this year. She is among 161 high school seniors to make up the program's 58th class.

The students were selected from a national pool of semifinalists by the U.S. Department of Education, which invites states to nominate students each year. In Connecticut, the State Department of Education invites school districts to recommend their students for the program.

The other Connecticut student chosen this year was Aditya Kabra, a senior at East Lyme High School.

"I offer my sincere congratulations to Aditya and Maya on this extraordinary national recognition," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. "They represent some of the very best of Connecticut, and I applaud their perseverance and drive."

Students are selected based on their high academic performance and distinguish themselves by overcoming hardships, achieving a unique accomplishment, or demonstrating outstanding leadership, officials said.

Palanki and the rest of the class of 2022 will be recognized this summer with an online recognition program, officials said.

"For Maya and Aditya, this is an exceptional honor that highlights their tremendous achievements," Connecticut Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker said in a statement. "I am honored to offer the department's congratulations and wishes for continued success."