The winners of the 33rd Annual CIF Southern Section – FORD Academic Awards program were announced at the CIF-SS Office. The team awards, based on a cumulative grade point average, are awarded in 24 team sports. Entries from 1,811 teams were received this year. Twenty-nine different CIF-SS member schools are represented amongst the team winners. Whitney High School & Peninsula High School led the way with 5 different team winners topping the academic lists. The annual academic awards program is sponsored by the Southern California FORD Dealers.
To be considered, teams must have a minimum of 5 student-athletes with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA average (4.0 scale) in the first semester or first 2 quarters of the 2018-19 school year. The highest team GPA in each sport category by enrollment determines the winner. Schools are divided into two enrollment categories, 1500 and above and 1499 and below. The team with the highest GPA in each enrollment category for each sport receives the award. The first-place teams receive a banner to commemorate their achievement. All teams who participated and qualified receive Academic Award certificates for their student- athletes.
Additionally, 151 student-athletes have each been named the individual “Student-Athlete of the Year” by their school. Each CIF-SS member school is entitled to name a male and a female “Student-Athlete of the Year” that must be a senior having maintained a minimum of a 3.5 GPA (4.0 scale) over the past three years, in addition to earning a letter in at least one varsity sport and participating in extracurricular activities (music, drama, service groups, etc.).
As part of the Academic Award program, the SCGA Junior annually recognizes the top three Girl’s Golf academic teams in each enrollment category with financial grants. This year’s SCGA Junior grant receiving teams are Webb, Crean Lutheran, Oaks Christian, Villa Park, Newbury Park and Temecula Valley.
The academic team winners and golf grant recipients will be honored in a pre-game ceremony before the May 20th, Angels game versus the Minnesota Twins.
This article was released by the CIF Southern Section.