Effingham County High seniors Marie Fogle and Brandon Pollett and South Effingham High seniors Brittany Way and Niko Vandevoorde have been named the 2007 Wendy’s High School Heisman winners for their respective schools. To be eligible for this award, students must display academic aptitude, athletic talent and exceptional commitment to their communities.

Fogle is a four-year letterman on the Lady Rebels softball and basketball teams and has accepted a scholarship to play softball at Georgia Southern University. She is also a member of the Interact Club and a volunteer at the Rincon YMCA.

Pollett is a four-year letterman on the Rebel football team where he plays tight end. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Calculus and Physics Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Interact Club. He has applied to attend the University of Georgia next fall.

Way is a four-year letterman on the Lady Mustangs soccer team and also plays for club teams in Savannah and Richmond Hill. She is on the SEHS cross country team and is a member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club. Way attends Rincon United Methodist Church where she is active in the youth group and community service. She hopes to attend college on a soccer scholarship.

Vandevoorde is a three-year letterman for the Mustangs soccer team and a four-year member of the Mustangs’ marching band. He has also run cross country and actively participates in the Fellowship of Christian Students. Vandevoorde is an Eagle Scout and an active member of the Rincon United Methodist Church youth group. He plans to attend the University of Georgia next fall.

Created in 1994, the Wendy’s High School Heisman program has celebrated youth excellence for 14 years. The program consists of six phases — applicants, school winners, state finalists, state winners, national finalists and national winners. Entries are initially evaluated by ACT assessment during the applicant, state finalist and state winner phases and then passed on to a distinguished panel of judges.

Twelve national finalists are invited to participate in Heisman weekend festivities during an all-expense paid trip to New York City on Dec. 7-9. ESPN2 will feature all 12 national finalists during the Wendy’s High School Heisman Awards Ceremony, which airs on Dec. 9.  

Two national award winners, one male and one female, are selected from the 12 national finalists, and are honored during ESPN’s national telecast of the college Heisman Memorial Trophy presentation.

Each national winner receives a Wendy’s High School Heisman trophy, a Heisman patch, and a $10,000 monetary award for their high school.

For more information or to track a student’s progress through the competition, log on to www.wendysheisman.com or call 1-800-205-6367.