Bridgeport High School senior Quinn DeMotto was at the boys state basketball tournament at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center last week and he was there more than as just a spectator.

 

DeMotto was honored at halftime of the Class AAA state title game as the male recipient of the first-ever Greg Reed Memorial Leadership Scholarships. The female recipient, Haley Spencer from Pocahontas County High School, was honored during the girls state tournament the week prior.

 

“This is a great honor,” DeMotto said. “It definitely helps with my future and what I want to do with my career.”

 

The scholarship is the result of a partnership between the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission and Chick-Fil-A and it honors the memory of Greg Reed, a long-time coach, administrator and WVSSAC assistant executive director, who passed away in January.

 

High School sports were a passion for Reed and seeing students succeed was important to him. He played a key role in organizing the Chick-fil-A Leadership Summit last September that more than 300 students, including DeMotto, attended.

 

“It was a fun experience, I definitely liked it,” he said. “I didn’t meet Greg personally but he spoke and this is a great thing they are doing in his memory,”

 

During his high school career, DeMotto participated in football, wrestling and tennis and most recently was a huge part of the Bridgeport High School Theatre and BHS Class of 2023 Senior Play, “Bright Star” were he delivered a strong performance as one of the leads to rave reviews.

 

Additionally, DeMott has a 4.16 cumulative grade point average, is ranked second in his class and his active in multiple community organizations.

 

“I’ve had a pretty good senior year,” DeMotto said. “I do a lot and I tried to branch out and try some different stuff. The senior play, that’s what it should be about, kids who aren’t always a part of something like that branching out and just trying it.”

 

DeMotto was presented a plaque recognizing the scholarship at midcourt by Reed’s wife Renee Reed. Also part of the presentation were SSAC Assistant Executive Directors Wayne Ryan and Cindy Daniel, Chick-fil-A representatives Richard Jarrell and Lisa Holt, and his parents Matt and Stacey DeMotto as well as his brother, Carson DeMotto.