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INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Stephanie Hightower, a member of the 1980
U.S. Olympic track and field team and currently president and chairman of USA
Track and Field (USATF), will be the special guest speaker at the NFHS Girls and
Women in Sports Day Luncheon February 2 at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown.
The 11th annual event,
hosted by the National Federation of State High School
Associations (NFHS), is presented by the Oxley Financial
Group of Raymond James & Associates.
Fox 59,
WXIN-TV of Indianapolis will serve as media partner of
the event, and the luncheon will be emceed by Angela
Ganote, who anchors Fox 59’s morning news and sports
report. Other sponsors are Vincennes University, St.
Vincent Sport Performance, Citizens Energy Group, Sport
Graphics, as well as the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) and the Indiana High School Athletic
Association (IHSAA).
NFHS
Girls and Women in Sports Day is a part of the
nationwide celebration of female sports pioneers and
participants. The NFHS, which is the national leadership
organization for high school athletic and fine arts
activities, has hosted the Indianapolis event since its
inception in 2000. Along with the NCAA and the IHSAA,
the NFHS will celebrate the achievements of Indiana
girls and women in sports and activities through the
presentation of seven awards, including the IHSAA
Sportsmanship Award and the NCAA Robert F. Kanaby
Citizenship Award.
Hightower, a former world-class hurdler and sprinter,
was a member of 12 national teams and held American and
world records in the 60-yard dash and 100-meter hurdles.
She also was a member of the USATF Athletes Advisory
Committee.
Since
her competitive days, Hightower has served the sport in
a variety of positions, including USATF women’s track
and field chair, as well as team leader, team manager
and chef de mission for Team USA at international
competitions.
Hightower was elected president of USA Track and Field
in December 2008 and was selected by the USATF Board as
its chairman. She resides in Columbus, Ohio, where she
is vice president for institutional advancement at
Columbus College of Art and Design. She recently
completed a $12 million comprehensive campaign for
scholarships and facilities development.
Hightower is a active civic leader in her hometown of
Columbus. For the past five years, she has been
president of the Columbus Board of Education, a $1.3
billion enterprise. She also is an advisory officer for
U.S. Bank and is a member of several education and
cultural boards.
Following are the five Indiana athletes who will be
honored with special awards at the February 2 luncheon:
The
NCAA Robert F. Kanaby Citizenship Award, given to
the person who best exemplifies the ability to strive
for excellence in athletics and academics, will be
presented to Hannah Amor from LaVille High
School, a consolidated school of Lakeville and LaPaz in
northern Indiana. In addition to playing volleyball and
basketball and participating in numerous clubs and
activities, Amor started a library in the small town of
LaPaz in order to develop a summer reading program for
elementary school kids. The town of LaPaz agreed to
allow Hannah to use the Community Building rent free for
Hannah’s Tuesday and Thursday Sizzlin’ Summer Scholars
reading program.
The
Leadership Award, presented to an individual who
demonstrates the ability to motivate others to
accomplish a specific goal or objective, will be given
to MacKenzie Snyder, a three-sport
student-athlete at Hamilton Community Schools in
Hamilton, Indiana. In addition to being the top runner
on the cross country team and participating in
basketball and softball for four years, Snyder will be
valedictorian of her graduating class. She also is
president of the Student Council and student body, is a
member of the Spanish Club and is highly involved in 4H.
The
Achievement Award, given to a student or team that
has overcome personal obstacles to achieve significant
success, will be presented to Morgan Merrill, a
senior at Center Grove High School in Greenwood,
Indiana. Merrill, a member of the state-ranked
volleyball team at Center Grove, overcame the death of
her mother to leukemia to start her senior season, and a
dislocated elbow in the middle of the season to return
to the team prior to the IHSAA state tournament. Despite
these obstacles, Merrill maintained a 3.6 grade-point
average.
The
Courage Award, presented to an individual who
overcomes adversity through persistence and
determination, will be given to Sarah Keevil, who
earned four letters in soccer at Indianapolis Arsenal
Technical High School. After overcoming difficult
challenges at home, Keevil played soccer for the first
time in 2006 and earned the team’s Best Work Ethic Award
in 2007, Most Valuable Teammate in 2008 and Best Work
Ethic Award in 2009.
The
NFHS Positive Attitude Award, presented to an
individual who personifies the positive attitude of
sport with his or her dedication to the promotion of
sport participation and by his or her inspirational
actions, will be given to Sydney West, a
four-year softball player and two-year volleyball player
at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. She also
participates in marching band, concert band, National
Honor Society, key club and calculus club, and she is a
senior mentor and senior class officer.
One
high school coach and one high school athletic director
also will be honored with special awards:
The
IHSAA Sportsmanship Award, which acknowledges a
person who has demonstrated responsible behavior in
victory and defeat, will be presented to Sandra
Walter. Walter has been athletic director at
Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis since 2002
after serving as assistant athletic director for two
years. She directs the Athlete of Character Program at
Lawrence Central, and also facilitates the State
Leadership Conference. Walter has hosted a number of
IHSAA tournaments and serves as treasurer of Conference
Indiana. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s
degrees from Ball State University, Walter started her
career as a teacher and coach in Rushville, Indiana.
The
Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award, presented
to an individual (student or administrator) who has made
significant contributions that advance, promote, assure
and/or improve their sport or activity, will be given to
Denise McClanahan, longtime girls basketball
coach at Southport High School in Indianapolis and
currently assistant basketball coach at Franklin
(Indiana) Central High School. During her years at
Southport, McClanahan directed the Lady Mac Summer
League basketball program and was committed to making
sure the players had a positive experience.
To
order tickets ($45 per ticket or $450 for a table of
10), contact Kelly Russell at the NFHS at 317-822-5745
or krussell@nfhs.org.
Doors open at 11 a.m. February 2, and the luncheon
begins at 11:30 a.m. and will conclude by 1:30 p.m.
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