Gregg W. Lewis Memorial Scholar Athlete Awards
Gregg William Lewis (1970-1998) was the second of three Lewis brothers who made their mark at Clarke Central HS. The family moved to Athens in 1980 when their father Bill joined the football coaching staff at UGA. Gregg graduated from Clarke Central in 1988; he was a popular student leader, and was chosen by his peers as graduation speaker. He was co-valedictorian of his class and an integral member of the football and track teams, elected as captain of the latter his senior year. He was known for his drive, determination, and unselfish desire to put the team first.
Gregg graduated from the Air Force Academy in the Top 100 of his class in 1992. He attended pilot training, learning to fly helicopters. He earned the rank of captain and completed a tour of duty in Kuwait before his death in 1998. He was the pilot of one of two helicopters that crashed during a practice rescue mission from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada; all twelve on board were killed. The elite 66th Rescue Squadron, whose motto is “These things we do so that others may live,” is trained to evade radar and fly through sandstorms and fierce weather to rescue downed Air Force crews.
The Gregg W. Lewis Memorial Scholar Athlete Award was established in his memory by his parents Bill and Sandy and is given to one male and one female student ($500 each) in the Clarke County School District who have participated in athletics all four years and have lettered in at least one sport. Of the candidates meeting these criteria, the two students (one male and one female) with the highest GPAs are chosen. If there is a tie in GPAs, the award will be based on rank in class.
Past Recipients of the Gregg W. Lewis Memorial Scholar Athlete Awards:
2016: Angelina Choi (Cedar Shoals HS); & Yang Fang (Cedar Shoals HS)
2015: Barbara Kipreos (Clarke Central HS); & Tomislav Zabcic-Matic (Clarke Central HS)
2014: Anna Schramski (Cedar Shoals HS); Henry Scott (Clarke Central HS)
2013: Grace Byrne (Clarke Central HS); & Patrick Humphreys (Clarke Central HS)
2012: Elizabeth Vencill (Cedar Shoals HS); & Philip Trandel (Clarke Central HS)
2011: Audrey Horne (Clarke Central HS); & Jeff Hopper (Clarke Central HS)
2010: Clara Nibbelink (Cedar Shoals HS); & Ivan Santillan (Clarke Central HS)
2009: Sara De La Torre (Clarke Central HS); & Gus Boyd (Clarke Central HS)
2008: Athena Lao (Clarke Central HS); & Matthew Nichols (Clarke Central HS)
2007: Merin Yu (Clarke Central HS); & Timothy Daniel (Clarke Central HS)
2006: Erin Hill (Clarke Central HS); & Alexander Stephens (Clarke Central HS)
2005: Rachel Eldridge (Clarke Central HS); & Joel Weber (Cedar Shoals HS)
2004: Eve Carson (Clarke Central HS); & Mark Cervero (CCHS)
2003: Sissi Chen (Clarke Central HS); & Teerawit Supakorndej (Cedar Shoals HS)
2002: Hailey Sailors (Clarke Central HS); & Joseph Yeatts (Clarke Central HS)