FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2009


Barrows, Henricks named 2009 FHSAA Scholar-Athletes of the Year

ORLANDO – Denver Barrows of Satellite High School (Satellite Beach) and Andrea Henricks of All Saints' Academy (Winter Haven) were respectively named the 2009 FHSAA Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year at the 15th Annual Florida High School Athletic Association Academic All-State Awards Banquet tonight at the Orlando Airport Marriott.

The two students – among the 24 chosen to the 2009 FHSAA Academic All-State Team – received a $3000 scholarship and commemorative trophy in addition to the $1000 award and medallion for being selected to the team. The Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award is generally regarded as the most prestigious award the Association confers upon an active student-athlete.

Barrows finished his high school career with a 3.96 cumulative unweighted grade point average, 18th of his 345-member senior class. He earned varsity letters in swimming and tennis all four years of high school, as well as two letters in cross country. Barrows was a member of the 2005 Class 2A boys swimming state championship team. He will attend the University of Chicago in Chicago, Ill., majoring in public policy.

Barrows was his senior class president and a state finalist for the Wendy's High School Heisman award. He has served as the captain of the Satellite swim team's Relay for Life team with the American Cancer Society for two years, and is also a volunteer swim coach.

Henricks finished her high school career with a 4.0 cumulative unweighted grade point average, valedictorian of her 52-member senior class. She earned varsity letters in soccer, swimming and track & field all four years of high school, as well as cross country her freshman and sophomore years. Henricks was a state qualifier in the triple jump, 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles. She will attend Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., majoring in pre-medicine.

Henricks is a National Merit Finalist and a National AP Scholar. She served as vice-president of All Saints' student government executive board and president of the National Spanish Honor Society. Henricks also founded the Triathlon Club at her school. She spent more than 100 hours as a volunteer at the Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

Last April, 24 student-athletes – 12 boys and 12 girls – were chosen from among more than 320 qualified nominees from the Association’s 650 member high schools as the 2009 FHSAA Academic All-State Team. To be eligible for selection to the team, a student must be a graduating senior, must have a cumulative unweighted grade point average of 3.5 or better, and must have earned a varsity letter in at least two different sports during each of their junior and senior years.

The FHSAA Scholar-Athletes of the Year recognition program began in 1991-92. Since the Academic All-State Team program was initiated during the 1994-95 school year, only those student-athletes who are selected to the team are eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.

The Florida High School Athletic Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida. It has a membership of more than 750 middle, junior and senior high schools.

Past FHSAA Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2008 – Katherine Tucker, Bishop Kenny High School (Jacksonville)
2007 – Celeste Thacker, Osceola High School (Kissimmee)
2006 – Kristen Weaver, St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park)
2005 – Christa Bosenberg, Walton (DeFuniak Springs)
2004 – Katherine Booth, Lake Mary
2003 – Revae Green, Tavares
2002 – Courtney Caplin, St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park)
2001 – Becky Tapp, St. Petersburg Catholic
2000 – Lisa Porter, Island Christian (Islamorada)
1999 – Tiffany Walker, Naples
1998 – Deborah Thomas, Stanton (Jacksonville)
1997 – Megan Beck, Lely (Naples)
1996 – Mary Jernigan, Dr. Phillips (Orlando)
1995 – Terri Phelan, Miami Sunset
1994 – Kelly Dillon, Port St. Lucie
1993 – Stephanie Eken, St. Cloud
1992 – Erin Thomas, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale)

Past FHSAA Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2008 – T.J. Weaver, St. Johns Country Day School (Orange Park)
2007 – Daniel Bush, Arnold High School (Panama City Beach)
2006 – Jake Mervis, Lake Highland Prep (Orlando)
2005 – Eddie Tabasky, Mainland (Daytona Beach)
2004 – Ryan Truchelut, Trinity Prep (Winter Park)
2003 – Adam Kircher, Maclay (Tallahassee)
2002 – Nick Wilson, Paxon (Jacksonville)
2001 – Bob Ross, Rockledge
2000 – Nick Nestle, Mainland (Daytona Beach)
1999 – Jared Day, Liberty County (Bristol)
1998 – Isaac Morford, Keystone Heights
1997 – Robert Rutland-Brown, Spruce Creek (Port Orange)
1996 – Ethan Altaratz, Naples
1995 – Kevin Campbell, Jupiter
1994 – Grant Thompson, Oak Hall (Gainesville)
1993 – Clint Park, North Florida Christian (Tallahassee)
1992 – Shelby Highsmith Jr., Ransom Everglades (Miami)

Contact:
Laurel Ring
Director of Special Programs, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 350
lring@fhsaa.org