Countywide : 11 Athletes Receive $1,500 Scholarships

Orange County Sports Celebrities, a nonprofit group, is awarding a $1,500 college scholarship to each of 11 local high school seniors.

Being honored as “scholar-athletes” are Brian Askew of St. Margaret’s Episcopal, Romy Christensen of Laguna Hills High, Elizabeth Flores of Magnolia High, John Houston of Mater Dei High, Anel Lopez of Century High, George Lopez of Orange High and Luis Alejandro Ortiz of Santa Ana High.

The students were selected on the basis of athletic and academic achievement, leadership, community service and financial need.

Receiving Courage Awards are Tim Johnston of San Clemente High, Jamie Shine of El Modena High, Carrie Florgan of Marina High and Darren Wedertz of Santa Margarita High. These four students “exhibited exemplary courage and determination in overcoming physical adversity,” said Bob Callahan, president of Orange County Sports Celebrities.

Despite being blinded in a 1990 boating accident, Johnston joined his school’s wrestling team as a sophomore, and won a national championship this spring. He plans to try out for the Rancho Santiago College wrestling team this fall.

Shine nearly died after contracting spinal meningitis in 1993. She returned to school for her senior year and led her basketball team in scoring and rebounding. She was also named top athlete in the Century League.

Florgan’s left leg was amputated just below the knee when she was eight years old. She went on to earn three varsity letters as a soccer goalkeeper, and helped her team win two CIF Division I championships.

Wedertz was hospitalized for a year as he battled leukemia and the effects of a head injury suffered during a 1992 football game. His determination to recover from leukemia and partial paralysis on his left side has been an inspiration to all who know him, said Santa Margarita High athletic director Richard Schaaf.

Sports Celebrities is a 22-year-old organization that promotes youth sports in the county and has donated more than $500,000 in scholarships. A major source of the group’s funding is an annual banquet honoring well-known sports figures.