A total of $66,000 in scholarships will be handed out to 54 students during the 19th Annual OHSAA Scholar-Athlete Banquet Friday night in Columbus.
Gia Velasquez of Canfield is the Northeast District's recipient of the OHSAA Minority scholarship. Velasquez is being recognized for achievements in swimming & diving, along with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
Kyle Parker of Mohawk is a scholarship recipient from the Northwest District. Parker is being recognized for his achievements in football, wrestling, track & field. He also touts a perfect 4.0 GPA.
The scholarship winners were selected by each of the six OHSAA district athletic boards. Of the 54 honorees, 42 will receive $1,000 awards, including six (one from each district) that will be given an OHSAA Minority Scholarship presented by Farmers Insurance. Twelve students (two from each district) will receive $2,000 awards made possible by the OHSAA Foundation and Taco Bell. Nike and Molten have also contributed to the OHSAA scholarship program, as well as schools that participate in an OHSAA Foundation basketball game, which includes a fee given to the Foundation to fund their portion of the scholarships.
Scholar-athlete recipients are selected based on a point system which rewards students for grade point averages; ACT or SAT scores; varsity letters earned; individual and team athletic honors; and an essay.
“The scholar-athlete banquet is always one of the highlights of the school year for the OHSAA,” said OHSAA Commissioner Dr. Dan Ross. “We all know that state tournaments are exciting and a thrill for the student-athletes, schools and communities, but to see so many students be honored this way for their extraordinary work academically is just as thrilling. They truly represent what it is all about and their families and schools are to be commended for helping them achieve great things already. I would also like to personally thank the OHSAA Foundation and our corporate partners for their generous support in helping make these scholarships possible.”
Courtesy: Ohio High School Athletic Association
