Nguyen, La Rota named 2022 Iowa Governor’s Scholars

Andrew Nguyen

JOHNSTON, Ia. (May 5, 2022) — Johnston High School students Andrew Nguyen and Beatriz La Rota are among 419 Iowa high school seniors honored this year as 2022 Iowa Governor’s Scholars.

Iowa’s top academic students are chosen by their high schools for this honor. Students received a photo plaque and a certificate to commemorate their achievement at a recognition ceremony held Sunday, May 1 at the Iowa Events Center. A video of the program is available online.

During the ceremony, Gov. Kim Reynolds noted how these seniors succeeded despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Beatriz La Rota

“As Governor’s Scholars, your academic achievements are truly impressive and point to a bright future ahead,” Reynolds said. “High school is well-known for being a challenging time, even under the best circumstances. When you add a worldwide pandemic into the mix during the middle of your high school years, I think it’s fair to say that you dealt with more than your fair share of obstacles. But you didn’t just get through it. You excelled in sports and academics alike.”

The recognition program has been presented for the past 20 years by the Governor’s Office, the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Farm Bureau.

The largest 64 schools in Iowa were invited to select two seniors who are the highest academic achievers for their first seven semesters. All other schools were invited to select one senior who was the highest academic achiever for their first seven semesters.