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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Feb. 19, 2007 Class B Scholar-Athlete Award Scholarship Recipients Announced EAST LANSING , Mich. - Feb. 19 - Ten student-athletes at Class C and D member schools of the Michigan High School Athletic Association have been selected to receive scholarships through its Scholar-Athlete Award program. Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 18th year of sponsoring the award, will give a $1,000 college scholarship to 32 individuals who represent their member school in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a post-season tournament. The first 30 scholarships are awarded proportionately by school classification and the number of student-athletes involved in those classes; and there are two at-large honorees which can come from any classification. Each of the scholarship recipients will be honored at halftime ceremonies of the Class C Boys Basketball final game at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing on March 24. Commemorative medallions will be given to other finalists in recognition of their accomplishments. The Class B Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are: Allison M. Assaly, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern; Andrew Cuthbert, Dowagiac; Adam DeWolf, Marshall; Alexandria N. Henry, Alma; Tyler J. McCoy, Tawas Area; Katelyn E. Priesel, Imlay City; Shane Sinda, Capac; Shaziah Singh, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern; Ashley A. Theobald, Kingsford; Jason Thompson, Ludington. Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class B Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay is also included:
Essay Quote – “Learning to accept constructive criticism, display sportsmanship, maintain a positive attitude, work as a team to achieve a goal and sacrifice individual success for the success of a team promotes individual development. Good sportsmanship and the rewards we receive are emblematic of our courageous and humble efforts.”
Essay Quote – “Reputable sportsmen educate people on how to live and play in the correct way. From simply clapping when an injured player gets up, to helping an opposing player who is down, to even ignoring a bad-mouthing rival, there are many different marks of a good sportsman.”
Essay Quote – “It comes as no surprise that athletes tend to be better-rounded individuals, because through participation in their sport, they have acquired many admirable qualities. Qualities like respect, teamwork, and empathy are easily found on the athletic fields, manifesting themselves as sportsmanship.”
Essay Quote – “Sportsmanship isn’t just shaking hands before and after games or offering a halfhearted ‘good luck’ to the opposition. Sportsmanship is the respectful attitude given to opposing players and teammates, coaches and referees, spectators and facilities.”
Essay Quote – “The sportsmanship I experienced in educational athletics will be used over and over again in my life. There will be wins and there will be losses. Being a good sport and handling every situation with the proper attitude will make me succeed.”
Essay Quote – “The components of character define sportsmanship, a necessity in athletics. Sportsmanship is key in the performance of an athlete and the most important lesson taught in high school sports.”
Essay Quote – “Good sportsmanship can best be defined when teammates, opponents, coaches, officials and fans treat each other with respect. Ideally, sportsmanship expresses an aspiration that the sport will be enjoyed for its own sake, with considerations for fairness and ethics.”
Essay Quote – “Good sportsmanship is exemplified by how one participates in a sport, rather than how one performs. It’s about realizing that how you play the game is more important than winning. Not every athlete can be champion, but every athlete can gain from the lessons of good sportsmanship.” Essay Quote – “Sportsmanship includes playing by the rules, respecting your team, respecting your opponents, accepting the decisions of the officials, and providing a good example to others. Educational athletics should be used to build character and life skills.” Essay Quote – “Wins and losses are important, because they measure your success in your sport. However, winning and losing with class measures your success in your life.” Other Class B girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Marissa Ash, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood; Larissa Kimmer, Durand; Hilary Braseth, East Grand Rapids; Abby Gaskell, Grand Rapids South Christian; Emily Goyert, Grosse Ile; Jennifer Fuller, Hemlock; Katherine Lovinger, Hillsdale; Lisa Tobiczyk, Marysville; Christine Dempsey, Portland; Jane Sielski, Spring Lake; and Katelyn Brundige, Vicksburg. Other Class B boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Bradford Witt, Flint Powers Catholic; Benjamin Williams, Freeland; Joseph Malone, Grosse Ile; Kurt Bjorkman, Kingsford; Darren Quillan, Ludington; Jordan Schreuder, Otsego; Derek Welmers, Standish-Sterling; Kyle Schmidt, Standish-Sterling; Austin Brown, Sturgis; Thomas Brady, Three Rivers; and Timothy Kramer, Wayland Union. Previously announced were the Class C and D scholarship recipients. The Class C Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are: Hilary Beauchamp, Iron Mountain; Riley S. Ford, Harbor Springs; Ben Halbower, Holton; Allyson J. Karaba, North Muskegon; Daniel L. Olsen, St. Ignace; and Kayla Jo Thompson, Marlette. The Class D Scholar-Athlete Award scholarship recipients are: Emily Anne Feldhake, Cedarville; Aaron R. Fletcher, Walkerville; Spencer Andrew McFarland, Mackinaw City; and Brenda Sisung, Fowler. Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete Award must be carrying at least a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average, and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors a postseason tournament. Other requirements for the applicants were to show active participation in other school and community activities and produce an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics. Farm Bureau Insurance, one of Michigan's major insurers, has a statewide force of 350 agents serving more than 380,000 Michigan policyholders. Besides providing life, home auto, farm, business and retirement insurance, the company also sponsors lifesaving, real-time Doppler weather tracking systems in several Michigan communities. The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by over 1,800 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract approximately 1.6 million spectators each year. -0- MEDIA ADVISORY -- A complete list of scholarship nominees and finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award can be found by clicking on the Recognition link on the home page of the MHSAA Web Site, and then clicking on Scholar-Athlete Award. Information about scholarship recipients will be posted on the MHSAA Web Site according to the schedule listed in this release, and media in the markets of the scholarship recipients will be notified the day before the public announcement. For more information about Farm Bureau Insurance, contact Luke Schafer, Public Relations Manager, at 517.323.7000. You can download the MHSAA’s Scholar-Athlete Award logo from the MHSAA Web Site – click on Forms & Graphics off the home page. RL07-039 AT&T, Farm Bureau Insurance, Henry Ford Health System and MEEMIC Insurance |