BOSTON -- Every two weeks, NewsCenter 5 features a high school senior who has taken the lessons of the classroom and applied them to life.

This week's A Plus student is Winthrop High School's Matt Moore. NewsCenter 5's Shiba Russell reported that the senior was featured on MTV's reality-show "Made" last year. Matt played the love interest of a classmate being made into a ballerina.

Matt is considered quite the catch. He is captain of the football and baseball team, student council treasurer, member of the National Honor Society and math team.

"I think he has an incredible work ethic both on the field and in his classroom, and I think he realizes what the value of an education is," said principal Gail Conlon.

The 18-year-old has earned a 3.97 grade-point average and is often called a quiet leader. Back in November, Matt's ability to lead was put to the ultimate test. After suffering months of nagging neck and shoulder pain his body broke down on the Vikings football field.

"I remember him on a tackle on the sideline making a play and then all of a sudden getting up and just kind of falling down," head football coach Sean Driscoll said.

"With so much pain every day, every minute, it just gets to you mentally and physically and I just got drained," said Matt.

He missed only two days of class and returned to school, but in terrible pain.

"I couldn't sit for a long period of time and I couldn't concentrate as much as I did before," Matt said.

His condition dramatically changed in February when doctors discovered and treated a benign neck cyst.

"I'm glad I had to get back in the swing of things. I couldn't let it affect me that much and just being able to overcome it was tough but I know I had to do it," said Matt.

Baseball also helped drive Matt toward the pain-free finish line. He returned as captain and the team's starting pitcher.

"When he walks down the hallway there's a big symbolic sign on his chest that says baseball, because this is a kid that from the time he was 7 or 8 years old didn't want to do anything else but play baseball," said baseball coach Frank DeMarco.

"It's getting back to where it was before. It's great I feel better," said Matt.

He is better on the field and better in the classroom.

If you know a special student who truly makes a difference in his or her classroom, e-mail us your nomination. Please include your phone number.