Wendy’s Kicks Off Its 10th High School Heisman.

The race for the Wendy’s High School Heisman (WHSH) is on! Celebrating its 10th anniversary, With the help of every high school principal, guidance counselor and coach throughout the country, Wendy’s International has begun the quest to find is hoping to find its next class of Heisman recipients who best represent the nation’s top high school citizen-scholar-athletes. From May through September, high school educators can will have the opportunity to nominate young leaders from their senior classes (male and female) communities to compete to become the two national Wendy’s High School Heisman award winners. for this year’s Wendy’s High School Heisman Awards.

Celebrating 10 years of tradition and excellence, the Wendy’s program High School Heisman program looks to honors students who don’t always get the recognition they deserve for juggling multiple responsibilities at one time – maintaining good grades, playing sports and making time to volunteer in their community.

Archie Griffin, two-time College Heisman Trophy winner and Wendy’s High School Heisman HSH program spokesperson, Archie Griffin, believes the program represents sets the perfect stage for the public to recognize and honor the our nation’s top student-athletes.

“We’re asking every high school educator to honor two students with this prestigious award,,” says Griffin. “Every high school has Heisman hopefuls, because this program doesn’t just recognize the best athletes or scholar, it’s about talented young people that make positive contributions to their communities.” “Every high school has Heisman hopefuls because this program doesn’t just recognize the best athletes or scholars. It’s also about talented young people who make positive contributions to their communities.”

The WHSH program started was created through a partnership of between Wendy’s International, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Heisman Memorial Trust – host of the College Heisman Memorial Trophy, since 1935.

How is a student nominated?

Nomination packets are sent to guidance counselors in more than 23,000 schools across the nation asking them to recognize two students. All nominations must be received by Sept. ember 24, 2003.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for nomination, students must be entering their senior year of high school, (class of 2004), maintain have at least a “B” grade average and participate in at least one of 32 sports officially sanctioned by the National Federation of State High Schools. Students are judged based on their academic achievements, community service and athletic accomplishments.

Awards/Recognition

Nominees receive a certificate from their principal to commemorate their accomplishment. The statewide competition then takes place in October, in which 20 students (10 male/10 female) are named state finalists. From the 20 state finalists, one male and one female student are then are named state winners.

Ultimately, the field narrow will be narrowed to 12 national finalists (one male and one female from each of the six Heisman geographic regions) who will participate in the Heisman Weekend festivities in New York City December 12thth -14thth.

ESPN will feature all 12 national finalists during the Wendy’s High School Heisman awards ceremony that will airs before the live broadcast of the College Heisman Memorial Trophy Awards on December 13thth. One male and one female will be crowned as the 2003 Wendy’s High School Heisman HSH national award winners.

For more information about nominating a student for the Wendy’s High School Heisman program visit http://www.wendyshighschoolheisman.com, or call 1-800-244-5161 or contact local high school principals or guidance counselors.