Wendy's Heisman Finalists

Father Ryan students gathered on Friday, 11/4, to recognize senior C Nicholl who was named the winner of the Wendy's High School Heisman Award for the state of Tennessee in a special presentation at the school.

Senior J Wilson was also named as one of the 10 finalists for the Tennessee award, one of the few times in the Award's history that two state finalists have come from the same school.

The organization honors students who excel in academics, athletics and community service. Over 400 students were nominated in the state of Tennessee, with 10 males and 10 females selected as finalists. Nicholl will proceed to regional consideration, with 12 national finalists selected from that group in mid-November. These finalists will travel to New York for the announcement of the two national winners at a banquet on December 8th of this year.

(above) Charlie Pastors, director of operations, Wendy's -Nashville, presents Nicholl her award as the winner for Tennessee. (below) Pastors with seniors C Nicholl and J Wilson.

Congratulations! "Father Ryan is blessed with an outstanding student body, and we are proud to have two of our students honored by the Wendy's High School Heisman Award program," said Jim McIntyre, principal, in making the announcement. "They continue to accomplish wonderful things for themselves, their communities and their classmates, and are living examples of Ryan's mission of faith, knowledge and service. We are excited with Caitlin's statewide award and look forward to additional news as the national judging continues."

Ryan received a $1000 check from Wendy's in her honor which McIntyre stated would go into the school's tuition assistance program.

	Nicholl has been involved in a wide range of programs and leadership positions at Ryan. She is student body president and a member of the National Honor Society, Cum Laude Society and the Spanish Honor Society. She is captain of both the varsity cross country and track teams, writes for the student paper and sings and performs in the St. Henry choir. She started the Adopt a Transfer project at Ryan, providing a means for existing students to welcome and smooth the transition for transfer students at Ryan. She also serves as a volunteer at Outlook Nashville and has volunteered at both the Blakemore Children's Hospital Daycare and the Smithson Craighead Daycare. In addition to her choral work at St. Henry she is a eucharistic minister.
	In addition to an exceptional academic record, Wilson, a St. Henry's parishioner, has been actively involved in a range of service projects at the school and on his own. He and his family have run Maters Matter for three years, an annual vegetable sale to raise money for needy individuals and organizations that has received national recognition. He is also a member of the cross country team and track teams and a third-generation Ryan senior. He was recently selected as a National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist.
The Wendy's High School Heisman Award - created in 1994 by Wendy's and the Heisman Memorial Trust - recognizes high-school seniors nationwide who excel athletically, academically and within their community. Principals, teachers, guidance counselors and coaches from high schools nationwide are asked to nominate a male and a female student for the award. The winners are selected after an extensive judging process conducted at state and national levels. Since 1994, the Wendy's High School Heisman awards have recognized nearly 140,000 high school seniors for excelling in athletics, academics and community service. Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas and is the third-largest quick-service hamburger chain in the world with more than 6,500 restaurants in North America and international markets.
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