Two standout seniors from New Canaan High School have been named FCIAC Exemplary Scholar-Athletes for the 2024–25 spring season. The Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference recognized Lauren Smith and Robert Frangione for their combined excellence in academics, athletics, and community service.
The honor, awarded weekly to student-athletes across the conference’s 16 member schools, highlights young leaders who exemplify integrity, high achievement, and impact in and beyond the arena of sport. This week’s selections from New Canaan reflect a broader movement in youth athletics—where academic commitment and civic engagement increasingly sit alongside performance metrics like state records and All-American titles.
Lauren Smith: Champion Thrower, Community Advocate
A four-year member of the New Canaan girls track and field team, senior Lauren Smith has become one of the most decorated athletes in the program’s history. Serving as team captain this season, Smith holds FCIAC and state titles in both the shot put and javelin and achieved All-American status by placing sixth in the javelin at New Balance Nationals last year with a throw of 133 feet, one inch.
But her influence extends far beyond the runway and throwing circle.
Smith maintains a 3.9 GPA, serves as Secretary of the Red Cross Club (with over 100 hours of community service), and leads multiple school organizations including the Irish Cultural Club, Buddies Club, and National Honor Society. She is also an active Peer Mentor, helping younger students navigate academic and social challenges.
Notably, Smith serves as a youth leader in Youth Navigate, a nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention and equitable mental health access for children. This summer, she’ll take that mission even further as an intern at the Yale Child Study Center, continuing her work to shape policy and support systems that center vulnerable young people.
“She’s not just throwing far—she’s reaching across communities to lift others along the way,” said a New Canaan High School staff member.
Smith will attend Cornell University this fall, where she is expected to continue her athletic career while pursuing studies aligned with her public service work.
Robert Frangione: Vaulting Records, Elevating School Spirit
On the boys’ side, Robert Frangione has spent four years vaulting, jumping, and leading his teammates as a consistent contributor across indoor and outdoor seasons.
Frangione, also a senior captain, has twice earned All-FCIAC Second Team honors in the pole vault and set the New Canaan indoor school record at 12 feet, seven inches at the 2025 CIAC Class L Indoor Championships, where he placed third. He has consistently placed in the top three in Class L State Championship meets and qualified for the CIAC State Open twice.
What sets Frangione apart, however, is his versatility. In addition to pole vault, he competes in the triple jump, long jump, and javelin, helping the Rams close in on an undefeated dual meet season this spring.
His accomplishments stretch beyond the track. Frangione is a driving force behind the school’s TV Broadcasting Club, earning two first-place Access Awards in the News Category. His peers and faculty recognize him not only as an athlete but as a communicator and community voice. He has also taken a full academic load of Honors and AP classes, maintaining consistent Honor and High Honor roll status.
Frangione will continue his studies in Sports Media at Indiana University this fall, bringing both his on-the-field experience and off-the-field storytelling into a field that increasingly values firsthand athletic insight.
While both athletes boast records, rankings, and championship titles, the FCIAC’s recognition affirms something broader: the increasing value of young people who lead not just through competition but through character. As school sports programs evolve in response to rising mental health needs and calls for community involvement, Smith and Frangione offer compelling models of what well-rounded excellence looks like.
Their stories illustrate how scholar-athletes from Fairfield County are reframing what it means to lead—and why track and field isn’t just about finish lines, but the paths that come after.
