FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --February 10, 1999
Contact: John Johnson or Mike Clifford-- 517.332.5046

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Feb. 10 -- The Michigan High School Athletic Association's Scholar-Athlete Award program has selected its eight scholarship recipients for the 1998 fall sports season.

Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 10th year of sponsoring the award, will give a $1,000 college scholarship to each of the eight fall sports winners, the first of 24 total scholarships to be presented, one for each sport in which the MHSAA sponsors a postseason tournament.

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 27. Commemorative plaques will be given to other finalists in recognition of their accomplishments.

The eight Scholar-Athlete Award honorees for the 1998 fall sports season are: Laura Winkel, Manistique, girls basketball; James Michael Shehadi, Sterling Heights, boys cross country; Melissa Renee Gritter, Elk Rapids, girls cross country; D'Juan O'Donald, Detroit Renaissance, football; John D. Sivey, Merrill, boys golf; Stosh Randall Mintek, Allegan, boys soccer; Katharine Sophiea, Ferndale, girls swimming & diving; Bomy Hong, Jenison, girls tennis.

Overviews of the eight scholarship recipients of the fall Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipients' essay is also included:

Girls Basketball -- Laura Winkel, Manistique. Earned three varsity letters in girls basketball … also earned letters in golf and swimming and diving … co-captain of basketball team as a senior … honorable mention all-conference as a junior … Student Council co-president as a senior … secretary for National Honor Society as a senior … member of Student Council four years and National Honor Society three years … Academic Booster Club Award winner three years … participated in band for four years … member of drama and senior class play … sixth-grade girls basketball coach throughout high school … High-Five Mentorship program as a senior … MHSAA student official in the Legacy Program … plans to attend Northern Michigan University to study business.

Essay Quote -- "Sportsmanship must not always be looked at from the losing point of view. I have seen some winners in my time that had worse attitudes than the losers. Just because you win a contest, it does not give you the right to make others feel inferior."

Boys Cross Country -- James Michael Shehadi, Sterling Heights. Awarded four varsity letters in cross country and three in track and field … all-county in both cross country and track in 1997 and 1998 … three-time all-conference in cross country … qualified for the MHSAA cross country finals three times … twice an MHSAA finalist in track … academic all-state honoree in cross country and track … president of Student Senate as a senior … three-year member of Electronics Club and class council … vice president of class council as a junior … Warren Optimist Club award winner in 1998 … member of National Honor Society for three years … school chairman of Walk America and United Fund as a senior … plans on studying computer engineering at the University of Michigan.

Essay Quote -- "Sportsmanship is something I have been taught since I started participating in athletics as a young child. I quickly found out that respecting your opponent and playing by the rules were necessary parts of the game."

Girls Cross Country -- Melissa Renee Gritter, Elk Rapids. Twice named to academic all-state team in cross country … competed at MHSAA finals as an individual as a junior and as part of team as senior … awarded three letters in cross country, two in volleyball and three in track and field … member of National Honor Society … worked on community service projects such as Red Cross Blood Drive and Math Night at a local elementary school … Athletic Council student representative as a junior and senior … played in pep band for two years and in church orchestra for four years … active at Elk Rapids Presbyterian Church … would like to study physical therapy at either Calvin College or Hope College.

Essay Quote -- "Sportsmanship is not only about being a kind loser or unselfish winner. Maintaining a positive attitude, respecting other athletes, following the rules and playing fair are some of the ingredients that go into being a 'good sport.'"

Football -- D'Juan O'Donald, Detroit Renaissance. Captain of football and track and field teams … earned honorable mention all-city honors in football … earned three letters in football and three in track and field … acting Sergeant-at-Arms of Men of Vision student organization … participated in Academic Games throughout high school … captain of Student Patrol as a senior … two-year member of National Honor Society … has helped tutor local middle school students for the last three years … was active with the Detroit Police Department 7th Precinct Explorers as a freshman … will attend Duke University to study computer engineering next year.

Essay Quote -- "Regardless of the sport, sportsmanship should always be used. A participant who consistently uses sportsmanship shows a great deal of character because sportsmanship displays honor, respect and fairness. These are part of the moral rules of sports. At this level of athletics more emphasis should be placed on things like sportsmanship which allows student-athletes to enjoy sports for its true purpose, to have fun."

Boys Golf -- John D. Sivey, Merrill. Has earned two varsity letters in boys golf … selected most dedicated player as a freshman and as most improved as a sophomore … four-year member of marching band and pep band … drum major of marching band as sophomore, junior and senior … class president as a freshman and junior … member of school improvement task force for three years … participated in Saginaw County Law Day the last three years … tutors fellow students … volunteered on a political campaign as a senior … worked as an Amateur Softball Association umpire for five years … is planning on studying secondary education and science at Central Michigan University next fall.

Essay Quote -- "Athletes who do not practice good sportsmanship not only lose out on the opportunity to learn important life lessons, they also lose pieces of pride. Take educational athletics to new heights by practicing good sportsmanship."

Boys Soccer -- Stosh Randall Mintek, Allegan. Captain of the soccer team as a senior … honorable mention all-district and all-county in his final year … holds the school record for most escapes in a wrestling season … placed third in the conference at 135 pounds as a junior … has won three letters in soccer and tennis and two letters in wrestling … class president as a sophomore, junior and senior … head of Exchange Student Committee as a junior … member of National Honor Society for three years … member of Quiz Bowl team all four years of high school … acted in high school theatrical productions … T.A.G. team member as sophomore, junior and senior … provided community service as a Rotary Interact member as a junior and senior … would like to study pre-med or a literature/writing major at either Yale University or the University of Michigan.

Essay Quote -- "Playing this sport (soccer), it is easy to be drawn into arrogance when facing an inexperienced team and to be pulled down to petty vengeance by an overpowering opponent. But to lift up, to focus on plays and teammates instead of the tempting misconduct roaring on the field, is to be a true athlete."

Girls Swimming & Diving -- Katharine Sophiea, Ferndale. Earned all-state, all-Oakland County and all-conference honors in swimming … won Senior of the Meet award at the Oakland Activities Association Meet … OAA record holder in the 100-meter butterfly … four varsity letters as a member of the swimming and diving team … member of track and field team for three years … active in United Student Assembly and National Honor Society … senior class president … student government parli-historian … participated in student acting group as a junior and senior … volunteers in the Interact Buddies Program and Charity Days … awarded the Ferndale Youth Association C Service Award … has not yet decided between Michigan State University and Northwestern University, but would like to study either political science/pre-law.

Essay Quote -- "If we attend a prep swim meet or basketball game, we see two teams, often rivals, shaking hands and offering congratulatory words after the event. Smiles, instead of sneers, abound at these high school competitions. It is now the responsibility of high school athletes in educational athletics to maintain and expand this sportsmanship in their individual sports and in life. It is essential for the continued growth of athletics and more importantly, each individual student."

Girls Tennis -- Bomy Hong, Jenison. Four-time all-state selection at No. 1 singles … MHSAA Division 1 girls tennis finalist as a senior … selected all-area and all-conference four times … named team MVP four times … selected team captain … earned four letters in tennis and one in track and field … member of student council all four years of high school … served as Executive Board secretary and president … class president as a freshman and sophomore … participated in school orchestra and on school Science Olympiad team throughout high school … two year member of National Honor Society … played in Unites States Tennis Association tennis tournaments … volunteers in the Teen Volunteer Program at John Ball Zoological Garden in Grand Rapids … won national sportsmanship award and was awarded a Teen Volunteer Certificate of Merit … will attend Harvard University in the fall … plans on studying economics.

Essay Quote -- "By advocating good sportsmanship, I captured the ultimate prize in educational athletics. The key word in educational athletics is education. Participating in a sport should be a learning experience. The athletic field should be where one learns about reaching goals, building character and maturing into an ideal figure."

Other fall finalists by sport for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Girls Basketball -- Anne LaTarte, Saginaw Nouvel; Laura F. Hall, Center Line St. Clement; Simone Cook, Detroit Renaissance; Julie Ervin, Howell; Kathi Grotenhuis, Hamilton; Kari Wieber, St. Johns. Boys Cross Country -- William John Farmer, Grosse Pointe North; Jacob Young, Gaylord; Nathaniel A. Sowa, Marlette; Christopher Jaskot, Livonia Franklin; Mark Winebrenner, Coldwater; Kevin Pline, St. Johns. Girls Cross Country -- Laurie Vance, Saginaw Heritage; Rachel Brown, Port Huron Northern; Katie A. Sherron, Livonia Stevenson; Anne B. Richtmyer, Ann Arbor Pioneer; Kelly Johnson, Kent City. Football -- John R. Scherer, Cedarville; Sean O'Neill, Flint Powers Catholic; Phillip J. Dabrowski, Warren Woods Tower; Robert Glen Currey, Fowlerville; Michael J. Petrauskas, Grandville; David Simpson, Central Montcalm. Boys Golf -- Craig Kuenzer, Brethren; Kevin H. Smith, Oxford; Jeffrey David Yentz, Ann Arbor Huron; Jordan L. Crandall, Dowagiac. Boys Soccer -- Adam Jordan Kimple, Holland West Ottawa; Matthew Watkins, Highland Milford; Timothy J. Pruzinsky, East Detroit. Girls Swimming & Diving -- Jenna Burtch, Holland; Deborah J. Hopkins, Monroe. Girls Tennis -- Jamie M. Rifenburgh, Bronson; Renee Stoller, Birmingham Marian; Amy Patel, Brownstown Woodhaven.

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.

Winter sport scholarship recipients will be announced on Feb. 17, and spring sports honorees will be announced on Feb. 24.

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by over 1,300 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 conducted in 12 sports for girls and 12 sports for boys which attract approximately 1.3 million spectators each year.