Sportsmanship

30 Individuals Named as IESA Scholar Attitude Award Winners

2011 Scholar Attitude Winners Jack Tuttle, Taylor Armbruster, Lauren Anderson, Andrew Robbins, Colton Burrus, Blake Suhling, Justin Bettenhausen, Ben Jennings, Christy Carlson, Thomas Bane, and Cody Hatzer. John Gagnon, Caitlyn Klein, Madeline Mitchell, Laura Vendal, Mackenzie Nichols, Sarah Megazzini, Molly Yockey, Jordan Rosentreter, Kennedy Dinges, and Paul Kim. Andrew Hardy, Mike Carr, Betsy Olson, Jessie Maass, Chris Cochran, Hannah Skoog, Addi Ippensen, Eric Whalen, and Zach Schrank.

The Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 Scholar Attitude Award presented by State Farm. Thirty (30) students from across the state who attend IESA member schools were selected by a panel of judges and will be honored with a luncheon on Tuesday, April 26, at the Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center in Bloomington. It begins at 11:00 a.m.

The 30 award winners, two guests of each award winner, and the school principal will be guests of the IESA at the luncheon. All award winners will receive a plaque, an award medallion, a gift card, and a DVD of the day's events. Mr. Stephen Bargatze, of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, will be the guest speaker.

To be eligible, a student from an IESA member school must be of 8th grade status, have a minimum grade-point-average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must have participated in at least one IESA activity during each year of their two-year junior high career, and demonstrated outstanding citizenship during their junior high tenure. In addition, each student is required to submit a typed essay titled "The Value of Sportsmanship."

"Prior to 2007, our judges selected one student from each of the membership divisions," said IESA Executive Director Steve Endsley. "This year, because of the support we have once again received from State Farm, our judges selected one girl and one boy from each division bringing the total number of award winners to 30. The students selected for our 13th annual Scholar Attitude Award represent the finest junior high school students in the state of Illinois. The tradition of naming a Scholar Attitude award started in 1999 and that first group of students selected set the expectation bar at a high level. I am continually amazed at the caliber of students who win this award. It is indeed an honor to be associated with students who have achieved so much and are so prepared for their high school careers and beyond. I congratulate each student who was nominated by their school for this award and encourage everyone to continue to excel in all of their future endeavors."

"The IESA Scholar Attitude Award honors those students who have maintained a high-academic standard while pursuing participation in their school community through IESA activities. We would like to congratulate the selected students on their focus, passion, and pursuit. We look forward to the leadership they will provide in the future and we are pleased to be a part of their journey." Charlie Shempf IESA Assistant Executive Director Administrator for Scholar Attitude Award Email