Indiana High School Athletic Association

9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650

Phone: 317-846-6601    Fax: 317-575-4244    Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

_____________________________________________________________________________

MEDIA INFORMATION                                                                               May 4, 2005

Contact: Jason Wille, Sports Information Director                                                                    

E-Mail: jwille@ihsaa.org

 

 

 

IHSAA ANNOUNCES 2004-05 CENTENNIAL SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

The Indiana High School Athletic Association is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the IHSAA Centennial Scholarships presented to outstanding high school student athletes from across the state.

 

Each of the 10 recipients will be awarded a $2,500 scholarship by a member of the IHSAA Executive Staff during an awards program at each student’s school over the next month. All applicants were expected to be well-rounded, positive role models who have demonstrated excellence in academics, school and community involvement, character, sportsmanship and citizenship.

 

Each student had to meet certain criteria to qualify including: 1) be enrolled and participate in interscholastic athletics at an IHSAA member school; 2) be a senior who will graduate this school year; 3) win a varsity letter in one of the 20 IHSAA sanctioned sports; 4) be nominated by his or her principal; 5) carry a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent; 6) have no violations of the school’s athletic code of conduct; 7) must not have been ejected from any IHSAA contest due to unsportsmanlike behavior and; 8) verify that he or she has made a commitment to remain substance-free throughout high school.

 

This is the second year for the program which was started in 2004 as part of the Association’s 100th year of service to its member schools.

 

Over 150 applications were submitted for the scholarships and a blue ribbon panel, through much time and effort, decided upon the deserving students. That panel consisted of: Steve Heck, Executive Director, Indiana Association of School Principals; Bob Kanaby, Executive Director, National Federation of State High School Associations; Lee Lonzo, Chairman, IHSAA Executive Committee; Patty Poehler, Senior Vice-President, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance; and Suellen Reed, Superintendent, Indiana Department of Education.

 

The IHSAA wishes to thank the following financial providers and strong supporters to the success of this effort:

·         Methodist Sports Medicine Center, the Official Sports Medicine/Health Care Provider to the IHSAA

·         Jostens, a leading provider of products, programs and services that help people celebrate important moments, recognize achievements and build affiliations

 

Listed alphabetically, the 2004-05 IHSAA Centennial Scholarship recipients are:

 

Rachel Edwards

West Lafayette HS

 

Edwards is valedictorian of her graduating class of 180 at West Lafayette High School with a perfect 4.0 GPA. She has earned four letters in track and three in cross country, and is a four-year member of the school’s orchestra. Her extra-curricular activities have included serving as treasurer of REACH, a club that works with elementary school students stressing a positive life style. Additionally, Edwards is on a state youth advisory board for Voice, an anti-tobacco organization. She was nominated to be an Indiana delegate to attend a National Youth Leadership Summit in Cleveland, Ohio. Edwards has helped with community activities including the Salvation Army and Mental Health Association.

 

 

Rachel Gaesser

Heritage Hills HS

 

Gaesser is valedictorian of her senior class of 184 at Heritage Hills High School with a perfect 4.0 GPA. She has earned nine varsity letters in swimming and diving, softball, and volleyball while recording four years of perfect attendance. Gaesser is a National Merit Scholarship Commended Scholar, a three-year National Honor Society member, the recipient of the USAA National Science Merit Award, and her senior class secretary the past two years. She has also served on Student Council, SADD, and Riley’s Fundraising Committee. She is active in her church through the St. Joseph Church Youth Group, and community, participating in the Angel Worx Foundation, food drives, and visiting nursing homes.

 

 

 

 

Lisa Gibson

New Haven HS

 

Gibson is ranked second in the class of 2005 at New Haven High School. Gibson has earned eight varsity letters in softball and volleyball while maintaining an 11.71 GPA on a 12.0 scale. Gibson has interned at Fort Wayne Orthopaedics and is a member of the Fort Wayne Medical Explorers Post in pursuit of her career ambition of becoming a doctor. She is a member of Student Council, Drama Club, and Spanish Club. She participates on the speech team, the Chamber Choir, and has participated in the Academic Decathlon. Gibson helps her fellow students through the Peer Mentor and Peer Tutor programs and helps grieving children by volunteering at Erin’s House. She also teaches Sunday school at her church.

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas Haan

Lafayette Central Catholic HS

 

Haan of Lafayette Central Catholic is ranked third in his senior class with a 4.064 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Haan earned seven varsity letters in football and basketball and was a nominee for the Mr. Football and the Wendy’s High School Heisman awards. He was captain of his school’s Academic Super Bowl Math Team and a member of the National Honor Society. Haan is the recipient of the Lafayette Daybreak Rotary Club Youth Leader Award and the Noon Optimist Raymond Robert Ryder Citizenship Award. He received the 4-H Outstanding Senior award and was a member of that group’s Junior Leader Board in 2003. He has volunteered in the St. Boniface Homebound Ministry and as a nursing home volunteer.

 

 

 

Becky Holland

Mishawaka Marian HS

 

Holland is the salutatorian of the class of 2005 at Marian High School. She has the taken the most rigorous set of courses offered, including a Scientific Research course in which she works with researchers at the University of Notre Dame. Her research has won awards from the Indiana Science Talent Search, Indiana Junior Academy of Science, and the Indiana Science and Humanities Symposium. Holland has earned 10 varsity letters in cross country, swimming, and track and field. She has been a student government leader of her class all four years, and is a member of the National Honor Society, Art Club, Spanish Club, Habitat for Humanity, liturgical choir, and is a lector for all school liturgies.

 

 

 

Bryce Hummer

South Bend Washington HS

 

Hummer is ranked second in a class of 263 at Washington High School with a 3.962 GPA. He has achieved this while earning 11 varsity letters in football, golf, soccer, and tennis, with his 12th career letter in golf this spring. Hummer is a National Honor Society student who has competed in the Quiz Bowl, Academic Super Bowl, and the South Bend Area High School Math Competition. He serves in the FRIENDS leadership group as a mentor to freshmen and is active on Student Council. He is active in the community, volunteering at Rein’s Of Life Therapeutic horseback riding for children, and he is a member of the 4-H Horse and Pony Club. He serves as his school’s delegate to the South Bend Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs.

 

 

 

A.D. King

Columbus North HS

 

King ranks 20th in a graduating class of 358 at North High School with a 10.84 GPA. He earned four letters in football and basketball, quarterbacking the Bull Dogs to their best season ever (12-2) on the gridiron last fall. King served as student body president and was instrumental in setting up the first-ever internet-based voting procedure at the school. He spearheaded the Student Assembly food drive that collected and distributed over 15,000 cans of food during the holidays. He serves as a vice president for the Indiana Association of Student Councils, a post that requires speaking in front of thousands of students and working with state leaders. King is active in Big Brothers/Big Sisters and High School Heroes (raising awareness for tobacco danger).

 

 

 

Anna Krodel

Jasper HS

 

Krodel is the valedictorian of a graduating class of 238 at Jasper High School with a 4.0 GPA. She has earned seven varsity letters in soccer and tennis. Krodel is a National Honor Society student who will graduate with an Academic Honors Diploma. She has been a class officer and student council member all four years and has been active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Girls Varsity Letter Club all four years. A recipient of the Jasper DAR Good Citizen Award, Krodel has served as a peer mentor and peer tutor the past two years. As a Dubois County All-Star, Krodel taught third graders the importance of self-respect and the detriments of substance abuse. She is an English as a Second Language tutor for fifth graders and is active in church youth groups.

 

 

 

Michael Powell

White River Valley HS

 

Powell is the valedictorian at White River Valley High School with a 3.99 GPA. He will finish his career with 12 varsity letters in basketball, golf, and tennis while working 10-15 hours per week on his family’s farm. He is active in the National Honor Society, student government, and the Business Professionals of America. Powell has worked with the youth basketball program and served as a youth tutor/mentor for junior high students through the HOPE (Helping Our Peers Excel) Club mentoring program. He has been very active as a political campaign volunteer for various candidates, especially his father who has served as Greene County Prosecutor for several years. He is a longtime 4-H Club member and he is a server at his church.

 

 

 

Rachel Walters

Southmont HS

 

Walters will serve as valedictorian for the class of 2005 at Southmont High School with a 4.201 GPA on a 4.0 scale. She will complete her high school career with 12 varsity letters in basketball, cross country, and track and field. She is a four-year National Honor Society member who was one of two students from her school chosen to be the Montgomery County "Character Counts" representatives. Walters has earned academic awards in English, Spanish, biology, and botany. She has been on her school’s Academic Team the past three years and she has served as the class representative for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She has been active in the PEERS Project, Rotary Club, and Cadet Teaching. She also is a children’s church leader and Sunday school teacher.

 

 

 

IHSAA 04-05/41