CHAPEL HILL – Over 18,000 individual awards have been given by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association to student-athletes for their achievements in the classroom as well as on the playing court or athletic field.

The NCHSAA made the awards in its AAA Scholar-Athlete program, which includes recognition of varsity teams which attain certain grades as well as individual athletes.

Individual AAA Scholar-Athletes attained at least a 3.5 grade point average for the semester in which he or she competed. The award is based on first semester grades for fall and winter sports and second semester grades for spring sports, and the school submits the nomination form verifying the grade point average on behalf of the athlete or team.