Local athletes win Positive Athlete Scholarships
Four local athletes are among 30 high school student-athletes to receive Positive Athlete Scholarships to be presented in a ceremony hosted by Hines Ward at the Senator John Heinz History Center on Tuesday.
Two coaches (Mount Lebanon girls swimming & diving coach Die Krug, South Allegheny boys track & field Rich Abbot) and Seneca Valley High School (Most Positive High School) will also be honored at the ceremony.
Bentworth’s Levi Jordan (football), Southmoreland’s Alayna Perbonish (softball), Brownsville’s Salanieta Waqanivalu (basketball), and Mount Pleasant’s Brady Hunker (boys alternative) will be awarded a $500 C Harper Scholarship from funds generated by the Hines Ward Celebrity Golf Classic sponsored by C Harper Automotive.
The award winners came from a pool of over 1,000 nominations from coaches, principals, athletic directors, teachers and parents from 150 western Pennsylvania high schools. In addition to excellence on the field, each nominated Positive Athlete was required to show characteristics such as an optimistic attitude, teammate encouragement, servant leadership, heart for others, ability to admit imperfections, giving 100 percent all the time, and realizing that the team is more important than the individual.
Seven student-athletes will receive the following scholarships:
Mylan, Inc. “Male and Female Positive Athletes of the Year”: Given to a male and female athlete of the year. The winners will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship.
“Jeff Boynton Memorial Scholarship”: Given to the Positive High School Athlete who best exemplifies the former Plum High School star who always put his team above himself. The winner will receive a $2,200 college scholarship (Jeff’s number was 22).
UPMC Sports Medicine “Comeback Player” Awards: Given to two Positive High School Athletes who have overcome serious injury to make a positive impact on their teams and teammates. The winners will each receive a $1,000 college scholarship.
Knichel Logistics “Title IX Award”: Given to the female Positive High School Athlete who has shown amazing leadership to her entire school. The winner will receive a $1,000 college scholarship.
The Wilson Group “Positive Solutions Award”: Given to a student-athlete who has helped others on their team, school and/or community create a positive solution to a difficult situation. The winner will receive a $1,000 college scholarship.