Football: Scholar-athletes to be honored by National Football Foundation

They’ve been volunteers in hospitals. They’ve served as tutors and peer counselors. They’ve been volunteers in homeless shelters. They’ve accumulated grade-point averages so high that grandma and grandpa would be astounded.

The group of high school seniors being honored by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame this month across the Southland have put together resumes on and off the field to give every indication they’ll be community leaders and trendsetters in the future.

Tonight at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City, the last of the banquets this month will be held, this one honoring 42 seniors by the San Fernando Valley chapter.

Among them is David Bambrick, the Alemany High defensive back who had a perfect score on the ACT and is headed to MIT.

Steven Luna from Lancaster Eastside will receive the most improved grade-point average award. His GPA the first semester of his sophomore year was 1.67. By the first semester of his senior year, it was 3.6.

A 6-foot-2, 250pound lineman, Luna said playing football helped turn things around in the classroom.

“I did pretty much nothing,” he said of his early days in high school. “I wasted my time. I think I matured and realized how important it was.”

Earlier in the month, the Los Angeles chapter honored dozens of recipients with GPA well above 3.0.

It’s a great tradition and helps provide a clear indication of who will be among community leaders in the future.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer