Congratulations to St. Mary Parishioner Shawn Noronha

We extend our congratulations, prayers and best wishes to Shawn Noronha, a graduating senior at Shrewsbury High School, who has been named as a 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholars Semifinalist.

Shawn served as vice president of the Shrewsbury High School Student Council, president of Globally Making A Difference, a leader of multiple honor societies and an involved member of the school orchestra, varsity tennis team, math team, and Speech and Debate team. He was also a finalist for the 2020 National Merit Scholarship program. At St. Mary’s Shawn has been an altar server and lector.

The program was established in 1964, by the executive order of the president, to recognize and honor some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars’ review committee selects honored scholars annually based on their academic success, personal characteristics, leadership, and service activities, in addition to the quality and content of their essays.

From the nearly 3.6 million graduating high school seniors, more than 5,600 students were identified as candidates in the program based on academic achievement. Shawn joins a list of 621 other seniors from across the U.S. who were named semifinalists from a pool of nearly 5,600 candidates. He is one of 11 students in Massachusetts to be recognized as a semifinalist.