On Monday, June 6, Branford Walsh Intermediate School (WIS) eighth-grade students Nate Durante and Aliza Giordano were honored as recipients of the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) Scholar-Leader Award for middle school students, during the 38th annual CAS Scholar-Leader Awards banquet at Aqua Turf in Plantsville.

The banquet publicly recognizes two students from each middle level school in Connecticut who have distinguished themselves in scholarship and leadership in school and community, according to the CAS website . Students are nominated by their respective school faculty. In addition to parents and school officials, the state's Commissioner of Education and other dignitaries attend the event to recognize the students' accomplishments.