Unveiling the Elite: Neuse News Sports Senior Standouts
The 2023-24 high school sports season will be here soon. To celebrate the high school seniors who defy expectations in their sport, their studies, and their personal character, Neuse News Sports (NNS) is thrilled to announce the "Neuse News Sports Senior Standouts" program. This initiative seeks to identify, acknowledge, and elevate those seniors who truly stand out amongst their peers.
“Our area is blessed with some amazing athletic talent. Not only do we want to highlight these seniors, we want everyone to know these student-athletes rank high in character too,” Neuse News Sports Publisher BJ Murphy states with excitement. “Choosing only 21 student-athletes through the course of the year helps us keep the honoree group small, but it also means there are dozens more who could be a part of this elite group. We're excited about featuring some of our area's best, while also providing high-quality coverage of an intense sports schedule.”
Selected seniors, dubbed "NNS Senior Standouts," can look forward to being highlighted for their excellence on and off the field. The Senior Standout will receive exclusive Neuse News Sports swag, a guest appearance on an NNS podcast, and a special write-up to feature in Neuse News Sports' newsletter, website, and social media. Additionally, each Standout will have their headshot featured on a dedicated webpage, honoring past and present Standouts.
To qualify as an NNS Senior Standout, candidates must meet specific standards. They need to maintain good academic standing at their school, embody a role model for younger audiences both on and off the field, and demonstrate a strong commitment to their athletic performance and representation of their school.
“We love the fact our standards for this selection process will be very high,” NNS Chief Correspondent Trey Scott explains. “The future NNS Standouts should feel honored to be placed in a elite group as their hard work, determination, and character is ultimately being recognized.”
The selection process will be extensive. High school seniors are expected to have strong character references from their athletic directors, coaches, and/or the NNS team. They must show a proven record of athletic success, with the potential to advance into Junior College, NCAA Division I, II, or III. Moreover, all candidates must maintain a clean and positive online presence. This entails refraining from any depiction of alcohol in photos, steering clear of any form of vulgar or inappropriate social media conduct, and unequivocally avoiding any engagement in hate speech or the dissemination of divisive content.
Neuse News Sports will reach out to the Athletic Directors at Greene Central, Kinston, North Lenoir, South Lenoir, APA, Bethel, and Jones Sr. They'll request 2-3 nominations for each sports season (Fall, Winter, and Spring). The sports team and publisher at Neuse News Sports will then vote on the candidates, selecting one representative from each school for each season. In total, 21 NNS Senior Standouts will be chosen in an entire school year.
“We want to keep giving back to our kids and the community,” Scott said. “We love showing off the highlights, championships, and MVPs but we thought the kids that go beyond athletics should be recognized as well.”
This initiative is a testament to Neuse News Sports' commitment to recognizing and supporting local athletic talent and dedication. Keep an eye out for the first round of NNS Senior Standouts—they're coming soon!
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