State Farm Holiday Classic Scholarship Information

2008 Scholarship Winners Announced

For immediate release | April 14, 2008
Contact info: Dave Oloffson 309-622-6588

State Farm Holiday Classic announces scholarship winners
Bloomington, IL – The Classic Tournament, Inc., which organizes the largest coed high school holiday basketball tournament in the nation called the State Farm Holiday Classic, has selected five winners as recipients of the 2008 Holiday Classic Scholarship award. Each of the winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship to go directly to their college of choice to help pay for tuition costs.

Established to recognize and award scholarships to eligible high school seniors who participated in this past year’s tournament, a selection committee of former educators chose the winners based on their leadership skills and academic performance. Applicants were also asked to demonstrate their experiences in student activities and community service, and required to submit an essay titled “How my high school sports experience helped prepare me for success in higher education.”

The 2008 Holiday Classic Scholarship awards go to:

• Brandi Branka, Kankakee Bishop Mac High School – Brandi is a 3-sport athlete in basketball, track and volleyball; was named president of the Letterman’s Club, Homecoming Queen, and Kankakee Female Person of the Year by the Kankakee Daily Journal; she has volunteered at her school as a Spanish tutor and at the Good Sheppard Manor Summer Fair for Disabled Men; she is also an outstanding bowler for Team Illinois.

• Andrew Etheridge, Normal Community High School – Andrew played basketball all four years at Normal Community; he also volunteers much of his time at St. John’s Lutheran Church, participating in their Youth Advisory Board and Service Missions during the summer; he has also volunteered for Habitat of Humanity, BroMenn Hospital, and food drives for Clare House; he currently ranks in the top 10% of his class.

• Kati Hinshaw, Normal West High School – Kati was captain of her varsity basketball team this season, earning the Sportsmanship and Defensive Player awards; she has participated in the Hudson 4-H club, the school’s Freshman Mentoring program, and is a member of the National Honor Society; she ranks #1 in her class and was selected as a Big 12 Conference Scholar Athlete.

• Randall Koehler, Roanoke-Benson High School – Randall was captain of his varsity basketball team this season, earning Special Mention All-State; he participated in both band and chorus all four years with All-District honors; he ranks second in his class, was named class vice-president, and was selected to the student council and National Honor Society; he is active in his church with the youth music ministry and mission trips.

• Samantha Reich, Park Ridge Maine South High School – Samantha lettered in both basketball and volleyball all four years, leading both teams to Sectional championships; she was part of the Maine South state champion Constitution Team, a member of the National Honor Society, and participates in the school’s mentoring program; she serves as a teacher’s aide and currently ranks 10th in her class.

“Now in its third year of existence, our scholarship program is honoring yet another group of fine student-athletes,” said tournament vice-president Dave Oloffson. “This may have been the hardest year yet for our selection committee, but these five student-athletes stood above the rest based on their experiences in school and their community.”

For more information about the State Farm Holiday Classic, visit the official tournament Web site at www.theclassic.org.

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