EAB and News 12 held their 14th Annual Scholar Athlete Awards Reception last week at the Woodbury Country Club, at which the winners, representing high schools from all of Long Island, gathered to celebrate their successes. High School guidance counselors and coaches nominated students for this award and the final decision was made by News 12. Each week a different student was featured on News 12 and received a $1,000 scholarship. Three were 30 winners in all.

"We are here to celebrate extraordinary men and women who balance everything in their lives to be so successful," said Edward Travaglianti, EAB chairman and chief executive officer, at the awards ceremony. "Human spirit soars and that is confirmed here."

Bob Wolff, News 12 Long Island's Sports director and a Hall of Fame sportscaster/announcer, presented the awards to the high school students.

"This award is unique," said Wolff. "It is not about having just skills, scholar or leadership, but all of these combined plus what they contribute to their school and community."

Wolff spoke to the scholar athletes and their parents, coaches and athletic directors who filled the audience about some of the negative attention athletes sometimes receive in the press. "Don't let negative headlines and the police blotter show you what athletes are," he said. "You are the top 30 role models on the Island and it has a lot to do with heredity and your environment."

The winners were: Caitlin Agostinacchio from Kellenberg Memorial High School; Candace Arthur from Friends Academy; Adam Balkan from Roslyn High School; Christine Bashian from the Wheatley School; Lauren Bettinelli from Bay Shore High School; George Buckley from Wantagh High School; Matthew Castagna from Deer Park High School; Anne Crisafulli from Garden City High School, Jonathan Debrich from Mineola High School; Dan Fanelli from Wantagh High School, Theresa Fath from Bellport High School, Kevin Geiger from Northport High School; Erin Johnson from Westhampton Beach High School; Jared Keating from Garden City High School; Paul Kelly from Elwood-John H. Glenn High School; Antonia Laino from Oyster Bay High School; Kyle Lavery from Carle Place High School; Sarah Lowenthal from Bethpage High School; Charlie Manning from Garden City High School; Matthew Miltenberg from Elwood-John H. Glenn High School; Brian Mullins from the Wheatley School; Amanda Pettit from Huntington High School; Victoria Rober from North Shore High School; Lauren Seery from Garden City High School; Matthew Shackles from Longwood High School; Katrina Svoboda from Bayport-Blue Point High School; Sean Thorsen from East Hampton High School; Allison Wisniewski from Smithtown High School; Nick Woll from Walt Whitman High School and Jon Zimmer from Smithtown High School.

Jay Feidler, quarterback for the Miami Dolphins and a two time Scholar Athlete winner for Oceanside High School, spoke to the students via television and wished them luck and success on their future endeavors.

There were extra awards presented at the ceremony to the top four athletic scholars. The first special award, which was announced by a 1997 Scholar Athlete Brian Olson, a resident of Cold Spring Harbor, was Jared Keating from Garden City. The second award, announced by another 1997 Scholar Athlete Brian Holland, was Brian Mullins from the Wheatley School. Linda Strongin, EAB vice president of public relations, announced Sarah Lowenthal from Bethpage High School as the third award recipient.

David Mahfouda, the top winner at the awards ceremony held last year, presented the final award of the evening. The recognition, and a $4,000 scholarship, went to Amanda Pettit from Huntington High School.