Bromfield junior Danny Child smiles for the camera as he poses in his newly obtained letter jacket, which he received for being a varsity football player for the Littleton-Bromfield Tigers.(Photo by Richard Wolfson)

Getting a perfect score on the sophomore MCAS does not seem like a big deal to Bromfield junior Danny Child, and he wears the achievement as casually as his Littleton football team letterman’s jacket.

In an interview Wednesday, Nov. 29, Child, who is one of eight students in Massachusetts to achieve a perfect score of 280 on both the math and language arts sections of the test, said he felt confident he had done well, but was as surprised as anyone that “doing well” translated into perfect. Although he took the test in the spring of his sophomore year, results only recently became available.

“I knew I nailed the math, but in English, I just gave it my very best shot,” he said. Bromfield Principal Jim O’Shea is almost as pleased as Child with the outstanding MCAS score. “We’re very proud of Danny,” he said Tuesday, Nov. 27. “He’s a great person and a good student.”

While he didn’t have any specific formula for his success, Child gave quick credit to the academic atmosphere at Bromfield. “The environment is terrific,” he said, noting that the small size of the school and the limited class numbers were a big part of that equation.

Child reserved his greatest praise for his parents and teachers, however, reaching back to memories of second grade to credit Suzanne Mahoney with sparking his love of learning. Freshman english teacher Chris Jones also made his list. “He made his class fun and engaging: he challenged me to think on multiple levels,” he said. Math teachers Russell Wass and Dennis DeGara are also exceptional, he said.

Child, who plays left guard for Littleton, described a long list of extracurricular activities that round out his academic success. A member of the Bromfield crew, he also skis Mt. Wachuset when winter takes over the pond. In addition, he said he would like to audition for one of Michael McGarty’s upcoming drama productions this spring if time permits.

Child, who is one of Stephen and Stephanie Child’s three children, said his parents were both very happy with his achievement. As he did with his teachers, he wanted to give credit where it was due: “My parents are the main reason I’ve been successful,” he said.