Wendy's Announces 2017 Wendy's High School Heisman National Finalists

DUBLIN, Ohio, Nov. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The cut has been made and Wendy's High School Heisman® names the Top Ten Scholar-Athletes in the U.S. These young men and women will now compete to become the Wendy's High School Heisman National Winners. 

For more than 20 years, Wendy's franchisees across America celebrate the outstanding youth in their communities who put in countless hours on the athletic field and in their academic pursuit while also overcoming some intense obstacles. One hundred students will receive a total of $150,000 in scholarships, with eight National Finalists each receiving $5,000 and the two National Winners receiving $10,000.

Visit www.wendyshighschoolheisman.com to learn more about the 2017 Wendy's High School Heisman National Finalists. Each of their complete profiles (including photos for use in press materials) will be populated by Wednesday, November 15.

FEMALE FINALISTS

• Audrey Ernst, St. Charles North High School, St. Charles, Illinois      
• Soleil Gaylord, Telluride High School, Telluride, Colorado
• Wells Johnstone, Madison Academic Magnet High School, Jackson, Tennessee
• Natalie MacEwan, El Camino Real Charter High School, Woodland Hills, California
• Laura Murphy, East Greenwich High School, East Greenwich, Rhode Island

MALE FINALISTS

• Jackson Destine, Atlantic High School, Delray Beach, Florida
• Karsten Householder, Chaparral High School, Scottsdale, Arizona  
• Ian McGrory, Queen Anne's County High School, Centreville, Maryland
• Brendan Siefker, Ottoville High School, Ottoville, Ohio
• Brandon Staple, Longmont High School, Longmont, Colorado

"Wendy's proudly supports high school students as they pursue their passions by providing a platform for recognition, growth and success," said Liliana Esposito, Wendy's Chief Communications Officer. "We have the great privilege to celebrate and honor the best student-athletes in every community who do more than excel on the field and in the classroom. They are leaders in their community and believe in making the world a better place by giving back with their time and talents. The 2017 National Finalists are worthy bearers of the Wendy's High School Heisman name and we are fortunate to be a part of their stories."

The National Finalists, five female and five male high school seniors, will receive an all-expense paid trip to the Wendy's Heisman Weekend, including the National Awards Banquet in New York City, a gold medal and a Wendy's High School Heisman National Finalist Heisman patch. The eight National Finalists who do not qualify as National Winners will walk away with a $100 Wendy's gift card and a $5,000 college scholarship. The two National Winners, who will receive a Wendy's High School Heisman Trophy, a National Winner patch, a $500 Wendy's gift card and a $10,000 college scholarship, will be announced on December 8 and recognized during ESPN's national telecast of the college Heisman Memorial Trophy presentation.

For more information about Wendy's High School Heisman visit www.wendysheisman.com.

About Wendy's High School Heisman

Wendy's High School Heisman was created by Wendy's founder Dave Thomas in 1994.  Dave Thomas dropped out of high school when he was 15 years old to work full-time and went on to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in history.  While this nontraditional path led to his prosperity, it always worried Dave that others would follow in his footsteps and expect to achieve similar fame and wealth by not finishing high school or attending college.

Faced with this dilemma, at 61 years old, Dave enrolled at Coconut Creek High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and received his General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Inspired by this moment and with a desire to celebrate the outstanding achievements of youth in America, he launched the Wendy's High School Heisman program.

Twenty-two years later, Wendy's High School Heisman has honored more than 600,000 of the nation's most esteemed high school seniors who share Wendy's values of giving back to their communities, treating people with respect, continuing education and excelling on the athletic field.

Wendy's High School Heisman is a joint program between Wendy's and the Heisman Trophy Trust, host and custodians of the Heisman Memorial Trophy^®. 

About Wendy's

The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ: WEN) is the world's third largest quick-service hamburger restaurant chain. The Wendy's system includes more than 6,500 restaurants in 29 countries and U.S. territories. For more information, visit www.wendys.com.

The Wendy's name and design and the Wendy's High School Heisman and design are trademarks of Quality Is Our Recipe, LLC. The Heisman Memorial Trophy, Heisman name and Heisman Trophy figure are registered trademarks of the Heisman Trophy Trust, used with permission.

MEDIA CONTACT

BryAnn Roth
614.764.3138
[email protected]

SOURCE The Wendy's Company