Release Date:12/30/2009
News Title: Christy Robinson of Northwest Whitfield High School and Nick Orangio of Mill Creek High School won the 2009 Deep South Classic's Scholar Athlete Awards.


Christy Robinson of Northwest Whitfield High School and Nick Orangio of Mill Creek High School won the 2009 Deep South Classic's Scholar Athlete Awards. Each received a Notebook Computer, presented at the Awards Ceremony following the championship games.

The awards were made possible by Brookwood High School Tip-off Club. Again this year a notebook computer was awarded as part of the competition to one senior girls' basketball player and one senior boys' basketball player participating in the Deep South Classic.

“Christy and Nick are both outstanding students as reflected by their grades and each wrote essays that got top marks from out judges,” stated Witmer. “It’s really a tribute to both of these scholar athletes for maintaining 99% averages in all their classes, having great scores on their SAT and ACTs, being starters on their varsity basketball teams and being active in their schools and communities.”

The rules of the competition allowed only one entry per team. The players are nominated by their coach and provide the tournament with recommendations, their scholastic information (i.e., GPA, SAT or ACT scores, etc.) and also must submit a short essay. This year’s topic was “What competing in high school scholastic sports has meant to me.”

Christy was also named the 2009 Deep South Classic Tournament Girl’s Most Valuable Player leading her Tournament Champion Northwest Whitfield Lady Bruins. Nick, a senior starter on the 3d place Mill Creek Hawks has never missed a day of school!

“The competition was tough and it’s great to have so many players that excel on the basketball court and in the classroom,” stated Tournament Director Les Witmer. “We’re grateful to the Brookwood Tip-Off Club to allow us to continue to award the computers which have made the scholar athlete competition a real highlight of the Deep South Classic tournament.”

According to the tournament director an independent panel judged all entries. The panel was comprised of former and current teachers, business professionals and community leaders.