Each school can nominate one male and one female student-athlete per year. The field of nominees is narrowed to 1,020 State Finalists, 10 male and 10 female per state, who are announced in late October. In early November, the field is narrowed to 102 State Winners, one male and one female from each state.

In November, a judging panel selects 12 National Finalists, one male and one female from each of six geographical regions. Two National Winners, one male and one female, are selected from the National Finalists and are honored during ESPN’s national telecast of the college Heisman Memorial Trophy.

Stewart and Maulden said they are honored to be state finalists in the prestigious Wendy’s High School Heisman.

“This program recognizes what you have accomplished in academics, athletics and community involvement so it’s an all-around recognition and that’s very special,” Maulden said.

Although Maulden is a two-sport athlete and a varsity cheerleader, she thinks that academics are the main reason she achieved the Wendy’s State Finalist recognition.

“I play volleyball and softball but academics are most important to me,” she said.

Maulden is a member of the National Honor Society, the National Technical Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America. She is enrolled in the Business and Finance Academy at PCHS and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honorary society.

Even though she has a strong background in business, Maulden plans to attend Springhill College in Mobile and major in elementary education.

“I want to teach,” she said. “I love kids and I want to teach and I want to teach somewhere in this area of the state. I love the this community and I would be happy here.”

Academics are important to Stewart, also, but it’s his talent that he believes was the deciding factor in his being named a state finalist in the Wendy’s program.

Stewart plays the trombone in the Pride of Pike Marching Band.

“I’ve been playing the trombone for about seven years and it’s my instrument,” he said. “I love playing music and I love music – all kinds of music.”

Opera is not the kind of music that most teenagers prefer but Stewart says he goes to sleep at night listening to opera.

“I love to draw and to paint,” he said. “I have an artistic side. And, I like to act. I like all the arts – music, art and theater.”

With such a wide range of interest in the arts, one would think that Stewart plans would be to pursue a career in the cultural arts, but that’s not where he is headed.

“I want to be a professional baseball player,” he said. “That’s my dream.”

Stewart catches and plays the outfield for PCHS and he considers himself a “pretty good” hitter. He would like to play for the New York Yankees or the Pittsburg Pirates but he, laughingly, said if that doesn’t happen, his goal would be the Disney Channel.

Stewart has a list of five colleges where he would like to play baseball and his hopes are that one of them will give him that opportunity.

The Wendy’s High School Heisman Memorial Trophy Award, also known as the Wendy’s High School Heisman, named after former college football player and coach John Heisman, is a prestigious award in American high-school athletics. It is sponsored by Wendy’s Restaurants. The current spokesman is Archie Griffin the only two-time Heisman Trophy Heisman recipient.