Matthew Schwartz

STANJ – Improvisational Pairs

Matthew Schwartz is a senior at West Orange high school. He took home the Governors Award for Improvisational Pairs with his fellow senior Joe Nalieth. Matthew is an avid lover of English and the Humanities and throughout his academic career has taken various advanced/honors English, history, art history and writing classes. Matthew was also the head of the Aspiring Writers Club during his senior year. Academics aside Matthew’s true passion in life is stand-up comedy. He has performed several sets at his high school’s coffee house event and had the honor of performing on the Today Show for Jeff Foxworthy; an outstanding comedian. This past year Matthew participated in his very first acting role as a lead in the Full production of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play as Puck/Himself/Captain Pompey. Come fall Matthew will be attending Emerson college in Boston for Comedic Arts to make some good jokes and great memories.

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The Governor’s Awards in Arts Education began in 1980 to promote awareness and appreciation of the arts, recognizing the creativity, talent and leadership of the award winners. Each year, awards are presented to approximately 20 educators and 80 students. National and statewide organizations select the students for their exemplary work in creative writing, speech, dance, music, theatre and visual arts and the leaders for their exceptional commitment and contribution to arts education. The program also recognizes arts educators and arts education advocates, whose leadership has helped nurture the development of students in the arts across the state.

16 Mount Bethel Road Suite 202, Warren, NJ 07059
(908) 542-9396
info@artsednj.org

The Governor’s Awards event is a partnership of the Arts Ed NJ, the Department of Education, Art Pride New Jersey Foundation, the Department of State and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Additional support is provided by: the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics; Art Educators of New Jersey; Art Administrators of New Jersey; Dance New Jersey; New Jersey Council of Teachers of English; New Jersey Speech and Debate League; New Jersey Music Educators Association; New Jersey Performing Arts Center; Writer's Theatre of New Jersey; Speech and Theatre Association of New Jersey; New Jersey Thespians and Young Audiences of New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. The cooperating organizations, award sponsors and individual members of the planning council dedicate their time to make sure that excellence in the arts is rewarded, and work tirelessly throughout the year to plan this special event. The Governor's Awards in Arts Education ceremony are a major collaborative effort of the arts, education and state government.