About the program

Introduced in May 1982, the Dispatch and Encova Insurance Scholar-Athlete Awards annually honor the best and brightest high school students in central Ohio.

In late February, The Dispatch mailed nomination forms to 117 area high schools, asking administrators from each school to select two seniors — one female and one male — as their institution’s top scholar-athletes to vie for $78,000 in college scholarships.

These scholarships are funded by Encova, OhioHealth, Battelle, the family of Capt. Warren B. Sneed and one anonymous donor. In lieu of the annual Scholar-Athlete Awards banquet, canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, awards were announced on July 11 on a television program broadcast by WBNS-TV (Channel 10).

This year, 201 scholar-athletes from 106 participating schools were selected. Each honoree received a “celebration box” containing video congratulations, banners, posters, medals and gift-bag material from the program sponsors.

About the Awards

The Selection Process

All nominees were eligible for all scholarships. Winners were chosen by a panel of judges from The Dispatch, who considered academic and athletic performance, school leadership, community service and other criteria.

Sponsored Awards

* The John J. Bishop Awards, presented by Encova Insurance, are presented to a top male and top female scholar-athlete who have demonstrated exemplary leadership skills within their schools.

* The Capt. Warren B. Sneed Memorial Scholarship is presented on behalf of the 1991 Dispatch scholar-athlete from Circleville High School who died in November 2000 in a military accident over the Sea of Japan. The award has been presented annually since 2001.

* The OhioHealth Perseverance Award is presented to a top scholar-athlete who has persevered over illnesses and/or injuries and/or dealt with major challenges. The student is honored for his or her determination and courage in how he or she has overcome adversity.

* The Battelle STEM Award is presented to a top scholar-athlete who exemplifies outstanding achievement in science, technology, engineering and math. Researchers and scientists rely on their STEM expertise to drive innovation and solve the world’s most difficult challenges.

Photography

All scholarship winners’ portraits were taken by Dispatch staff photographers, including Eric Albrecht, Adam Cairns, Kyle Robertson and Fred Squillante, as well as freelance photographer Maddie Schroeder. Portraits were taken at a location deemed meaningful to the scholar-athlete. The Dispatch would like to thank and acknowledge all of the schools and their administrators who accommodated our requests, as well as Wilson Garden Center, the Denison Bio Reserve, Bryn Du Mansion and Sticky Fingers Ice Cream.

Contact us
If you have a question or comment about the special section, or The Dispatch’s scholar-athlete program, contact:
Ray Stein … 614-461-5236
rstein@dispatch.com