Staff Writer

Sherika Johnson of Pike County High School and Charles Henderson High School senior Scott Stetson were selected as the 10th winners of the J.O. "Tip" Colley Scholastic Christian Athletic Award.

Each year, the Troy Civitan Club honors a male and female winner for the award that recognizes high school students who refuse to be average ­ leaders who excel in the classroom, on the athletic field and also find time to give back to their community, while keeping Christian values central in their lives.

Johnson and Stetson were selected from 29 nominees for the award, but all are winners, said Civitan Club president Darren Hipps.

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Johnson has a 4.0 grade point average at PCHS, where she has been a cheerleader, Student Government Association officer and a member of the National Honor Society. She is a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.

Her future plans include attending Alabama A&M.

Stetson is the son of Mr. and Dr. Toni Stetson of Troy. He has maintained a 3.9 GPA at CHHS while participating in cross country and on the baseball team. He is a member of National Honor Society, Future Farmers of America, Future Business Leaders of America and the Spanish Club.

A member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Stetson plans to attend Huntingdon College in Montgomery.

Nick Colbert, a Troy State University linebacker, encouraged the award nominees to always look ahead and keep God first and foremost in their lives.

The man, who signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts, has completed his pre-medicine program studies while playing football for TSU and being the team chaplain. He was also one of 16 players nationwide ­ all divisions ­ selected for academic honors.

"See where I started out six years ago," Colbert said during the banquet held Tuesday night.

His success, he said, was because of what he calls the "three S’s ­ school, sports and spiritual needs ­ as top priorities.

"School is an important thing because no one can take it away from you," Colbert said.

Sports, he said, teaches an individual to work with others.

But, for Colbert, spiritual needs are his top priority.

"Without God in my life, none of this would be possible," Colbert said of his achievements.

His advice to the students sitting before him was to "have faith and trust in the Lord…without that, people tend to fall short."

Colbert offered his congratulations and encouraged the college-bound students to "press on" toward their goals.

"Never give up," Colbert said. "Don’t worry about failure. It’s a state of mind. With God in sight, you’re always a winner."