NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The most prestigious
award in high school athletics has named Frelicia Tucker, a track
and field runner from South
Carolina, and Daniel Orcutt,
a swimmer from Florida, as
National Winners of Wendy's® High School Heisman® Scholarship.
The announcement came this evening at the Wendy's High School
Heisman Awards Ceremony in New York
City. Chosen from high school seniors at more than 30,000
schools around the country, Frelicia and Daniel will take home a
$10,000 college scholarship.
"Frelicia and Daniel are very deserving of Wendy's High School
Heisman" said Eddie George, Wendy's
Heisman ambassador and Heisman Trophy winner. "It takes a very
unique and hard-working individual to excel in academics, athletics
and still have time to give back to his or her community. These
student-athletes do that every day of their lives and I am proud to
welcome them into the Heisman family."
Through their passion, perseverance and commitment to their
community, Frelicia and Daniel live the Heisman ideals. They go to
great lengths, whether on the track, in the pool, or at home with
their families, to be nothing but the best. Wendy's is excited to
celebrate Frelicia and Daniel as the 2016 National Winners through
its continued commitment to recognizing young men and women who
believe that good is never really enough.
Frelicia Tucker, Aiken High
School
Hometown: Aiken, South
Carolina
Motivated by the memory of her
father and her mother's support, Frelicia goes the extra mile to
get past any hurdle in her way. She has set three school records in
track and field, became a state champion in the 400-meter hurdle
and earned letters in tennis and cheerleading. In the classroom,
Frelicia is part of the top 1% and will graduate next spring as the
valedictorian of her class. While she's not studying or practicing
sports, Frelicia volunteers her time to inspire other and champion
causes she believes in. She is the President of the state National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Youth
Chapter and recently delivered a speech on education equity to an
audience which included Democratic presidential nominees
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
Daniel
Orcutt, Fort Walton Beach High School
Hometown: Fort Walton Beach,
Florida
Inspired by those who serve
others, Daniel is happy to give his all for the greater good. A
true team player, Daniel selflessly supported his school's swim
team in Nationals and helped earn them a higher finish instead of
focusing on his goal of qualifying for the Olympic Trials. He
emerged from this experience with an even stronger belief that
doing the right thing far outweighs the importance of individual
athletic accomplishments. Giving back to the community is also a
priority for Daniel, he has volunteered more than 400 hours as an
Eagle Scout, a volunteer swim coach and as an active member of the
Military Deployed Family organization. But Daniel's proudest and
most fulfilling role is that of brother and son, helping out with
his younger siblings every day while his father has been deployed
in the Middle East for two of the
past four years.
"Dave Thomas established the
Wendy's Heisman to celebrate the good in our country's high school
students," said Liliana Esposito,
Wendy's Chief Communications Officer. "Just like Wendy's, Frelicia
and Daniel never cut corners. They put an unbelievable amount of
effort into everything they do and make the world a better place.
Wendy's is proud to help these students continue to follow their
dreams."
In addition to a $10,000 college
scholarship, Frelicia and Daniel will each receive a Wendy's High
School Heisman Trophy, a National Winner patch, a $500 Wendy's gift card, and be recognized during
the ESPN® national telecast of the collegiate Heisman Memorial
Trophy presentation on December
10.
Wendy's and the Heisman Trophy Trust have honored more than
600,000 of the nation's most esteemed student-athletes since the
two partnered in 1994. Year after year, they celebrate those
students who exemplify the common set of values they share, wherein
going above and beyond is the norm. Wendy's Heisman aims to profile
the stories of these outstanding students as a way to inspire the
tomorrow's senior class. Overall, one hundred students will receive
a total of $150,000 in scholarships,
with National Finalist each receiving $5,000 and the National Winners receiving
$10,000.
The other eight Wendy's High School Heisman National Finalists
are:
Name
|
Gender
|
High
School
|
City
|
State
|
Kiara
Mickens
|
Female
|
Springfield Central
High School
|
Springfield
|
Massachusetts
|
Will Moten
|
Male
|
Westlake High
School
|
Waldorf
|
Maryland
|
Cortney
VanLiew
|
Female
|
Columbus East High
School
|
Columbus
|
Indiana
|
Rohan
Angadi
|
Male
|
Clovis High
School
|
Clovis
|
New Mexico
|
Rebekah
Lescenski
|
Female
|
Faith Lutheran Jr/Sr
High School
|
Las Vegas
|
Nevada
|
Joseph
Pavlak
|
Male
|
Wadsworth High
School
|
Wadsworth
|
Ohio
|
Jordan
Rudd
|
Female
|
Veterans Memoria High
School
|
Brownsville
|
Texas
|
Davis
Dubbert
|
Male
|
St. John's Catholic
School
|
Beloit
|
Kansas
|
For more information about the 2016 Wendy's High School Heisman
and the National Winners and National Finalist, as well as to view
photos, please visit www.WendysHeisman.com.
About Wendy's High School Heisman
Wendy's High School Heisman was created
by Wendy's founder Dave Thomas in
1994. Dave Thomas dropped out of high school when
he was 15 years old in order to work full-time and went on to
become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in history.
While this nontraditional path led to his prosperity, it always
worried Dave that others would follow in his footsteps and expect
to achieve similar fame and wealth by not finishing high school or
attending college.
Faced with this dilemma, at 61 years old, Dave enrolled
at Coconut Creek High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and received his General
Equivalency Diploma (GED). Inspired by this moment and with a
desire to celebrate the outstanding achievements of youth in
America, he launched the Wendy's High School Heisman program.
Twenty-two years later, Wendy's High School Heisman has honored
more than 600,000 of the nation's most esteemed high school seniors
who share Wendy's values of giving back to their
communities, treating people with respect, continuing education and
excelling on the athletic field.
Wendy's High School Heisman is a joint program
between Wendy's and the Heisman Trophy Trust, host
and custodians of the Heisman Memorial
Trophy®.
About Wendy's
The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ: WEN) is the world's third largest
quick-service hamburger restaurant chain. The Wendy's system
includes more than 6,500 restaurants in 29 countries and U.S.
territories. For more information, visit www.wendys.com.
The Wendy's name and design and the Wendy's High School
Heisman and design are trademarks of Quality Is Our Recipe,
LLC. The Heisman Memorial Trophy, Heisman name and Heisman
Trophy figure are registered trademarks of the Heisman Trophy
Trust, used with permission.
Contact
Steven
Coulombe
Ketchum Public Relations
(404) 879 - 9292
Steven.Coulombe@ketchum.com
Photo -
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161209/447754
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SOURCE The Wendy's Company