REBEKAH PORTER
OF
Rebekah Porter of Valparaiso High School captured the Mildred
M. Ball Mental Attitude Award in Gymnastics following the state finals at
Mildred M. Ball served the IHSAA as an
assistant commissioner from 1977 until her retirement in 1997. Among her responsibilities were the licensing
and training of officials and administering tournaments in gymnastics, golf,
tennis and soccer. She also served on
the Gymnastics Rules Committee and the Equity Committee of the National
Federation of State High School Associations.
At
the conclusion of the state finals, the IHSAA Executive Committee presents the
award to the outstanding senior participant in the Gymnastics State
Finals. The recipient of the award, who
was nominated by her principal and coach, must excel in mental attitude,
scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in gymnastics.
In
2003, Rebekah captured the Vault, Floor Exercise and
All-Around titles in the IHSAA Gymnastics Championships. This year, she turned in another outstanding
effort, placing first in the Vault and Floor Exercise, with eighth place
finishes in the Balance Beam and Uneven Bars. In 2003-04, she won the Duneland Athletic Conference, Sectional and Regional
titles, despite being hampered by a stress fracture in her shin.
Academically,
she ranks 63rd in her class of 456, was named Academic All-State and
is a member of the National Honor Society.
Her other awards include the Gold Award, Silver Award, Leadership Award,
President’s Student Service Award, her third, as presented by the Girl Scouts
of America, of which she was a two-year
board member. She was a representative
at the National Young Leaders Conference in
A
member of the school’s Latin Club, she served as Secretary in 2002 and as
President of the organization in 2003.
Rebekah is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Porter
of
Farm
Bureau Insurance, IHSAA corporate sponsor, presented a $1,000.00 check to the
scholarship fund at