(Editor's Note: Fred M. Apgar is director of Physical Education, Athletics and Medical Services at The Wheatley School.)

News 12 Long Island recently recognized Leslie Reich, a senior at The Wheatley School, for her all-around achievement in scholarship, athletics, leadership and school service.

On Feb. 10, the Citibank - News 12 Long Island Scholar-Athlete Recognition Award, a $1,000 scholarship, was presented to Reich. In addition, Reich also received a videotape of her and her school and athletic activities which was featured on a News 12 telecast that evening. The Citibank - News 12 Long Island Scholar-Athlete Recognition Award was started by Bob Wolff, director of sports at News 12, in 1988. During each week of the school year, an outstanding Long Island student-athlete is recognized and profiled.

Reich has been a four-year starter for the Lady Wildcats soccer team and was one of the team's captains. As the team's sweeper, she stabilized a solid defense, provided leadership and inspiration to her teammates on a daily basis and contributed to the team's league championship. Reich received All-County honors this fall and was selected to play in the Exceptional Senior Soccer Game. In addition to her soccer exploits, Reich has been a three-year starter on the softball team and a two-year starter on the basketball team. She received All-Division honors in softball during her sophomore and junior years.

Reich was also the recipient of the Suzanne Link Memorial Scholarship, a prestigious award presented annually in memory of a gifted scholar-athlete who was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident.

While pursuing a most challenging academic program, Reich has achieved an un-weighted grade point average of 3.9 and a combined SAT score of 1,400. She has been inducted into the Wheatley National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, and is an active member of the Inter-Cultural Unity, Anti-Bias Task Force, Varsity Club, Peer AIDS Advisory Group and the Student Leadership Council. Somehow Reich finds time in her busy life to provide volunteer service to Cancer Cured Kids and the Carnival for Children with Cancer.

Reich has been accepted by and will attend the University of Pennsylvania next year.