MATTHEW CALIFANO

High School: Craftsbury Academy

Hometown: Craftsbury Common, VT

Matthew is one of 68 students enrolled at Craftsbury Academy, one of the smallest high schools in Vermont. While small class sizes are often seen as a good thing, they can pose many challenges in Matthew's very rural and small town of Craftsbury Common. One notable example was last year when his school's English teacher had to retire suddenly due to a medical emergency. It was up to Matthew and a revolving door of substitute teachers to take over the freshman English lessons. Suddenly, instead of being a student, Matthew was thrust into a teaching position where he was in charge of teaching English courses for an hour and a half each day, all while juggling his own challenging coursework such as AP US Government and Politics, AP Biology, AP Statistics, AP World History, AP Calculus, and AP English Composition. While challenging, Matthew was able to adapt quickly. Although a more permanent replacement for the English classes may have already been found, Matthew is still heavily involved as the English and Math department teacher's assistant. Matthew has also had teaching roles with the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, one of the nation’s oldest environmental advocacy groups.

While not in the classroom in a teaching capacity, education is never far from Matthew's mind. He is a student representative on his school's Steering Committee, a mentor in the AmeriCorps DREAM program, and a member of DREAM’s Vermont Board of Directors. His work with the Steering Committee is what Matthew is most proud of, as it allows him to make meaningful contributions to his school by enacting policy changes. These changes have enabled his school, one of the smallest and most underfunded in Vermont, to move up in statewide rankings and join the AP Scholar Honor Roll. This is a remarkable achievement, considering that some of Matthew's peers lack internet and electricity at home, and his school has high teacher turnover.

Education is extremely important for Matthew, and he has been highlighted and recognized for his contributions to the field. His papers on education reform have won national and international awards. He has been honored by the State of Vermont and the National Council of Teachers of English. His teachers also had nothing but positive things to say about him, describing him as one of their most academically gifted students, with one teacher, Mr. Metcalf, who has been teaching for almost six decades, saying, “I have worked with numerous outstanding students in a teaching career that began in 1968; and Matt Califano is without peer at the top of the list.”

Committed to his community, Matthew has received two President’s Volunteer Service Award Gold Medals, the Congressional Award Silver Medal, and Citizen-Scholar Awards from the University of Vermont, St. Michael’s College, and the Daughters of the American Revolution for his continued efforts and contributions to his local educational system.

Just this January, this remarkable Boricua was recognized as a Vermont Presidential Scholar by the Vermont Department of Education for the second time and was nominated for recognition as a US Presidential Scholar, and last month, was named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist.

Complementing his academic pursuits, Matthew is also a leader on his school's track and cross-country team. Late last year, he was named a USA Track & Field Cross Country All-American by medaling at the 2023 USA Track & Field Junior Olympic Cross Country National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, underscoring his dedication and talent in athletics. Matthew’s leadership and accomplishments were further recognized when he was named one of The Armory Foundation's Hispanic Leaders of Tomorrow at the 30th Annual Hispanic Games earlier this year.

As Matthew prepares to embark on the next chapter of his academic career at Harvard College, Yale University, or the University of Alabama, with a focus on classics and government, he carries with him a legacy of leadership, scholarly achievement, and a journey that reflects his proven capacity to make meaningful change .