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Jordan Epstein, a senior at Valley Stream South High School, was selected as one of 20 state finalists in the Wendy's High School Heisman Award competition, which honors the nation's top high school seniors who best exemplify a "scholar-citizen-athlete."
Epstein, who was accepted on early decisions to Cornell University's School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, plans to major in applied economics and management in college. He ranks fourth in his South High School graduating class. Among his academic achievements, Epstein is a National Merit Letter of Commendation winner, an Advanced Placement Scholar, president of the Math Honor Society, vice president of National Honor Society, captain of the Mathletes team, and a member of the South High "It's Academic" quiz team, which won last year's county championship. He has been
selected for All-County trumpet honors in sixth, eighth, 10th and 12th grades. A member of the varsity tennis team since eighth grade, he has served as co-captain since 10th grade. Epstein also umpires for Hewlett-Woodmere Little League baseball.
Now in its tenth year, the Wendy's High School Heisman Award program was created in 1994 through a partnership between Wendy's, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Heisman Memorial Trust.
Principals from approximately 24,000 high schools across the nation were invited to nominate in September, one male and one female student who fulfill the program requirements. Students were judged on academic and athletic achievements in addition to community service.
Out of the approximately 400 male and 400 female nominees in New York State, the judges selected 10 male and 10 female state finalists, of which seven, including Epstein, were from Long Island.
These 20 state finalists were then invited to attend the Northeast Regional awards dinner at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA on Nov. 20, where they received bronze medals and certificates of achievement. Attending with Epstein and his parents was his South High tennis coach Kristi Hinkelman.
From the 20 New York State finalists, two state winners (one male, one female) were selected in Foxboro to move on to the national competition. From the 102 state winners nationwide, 12 national finalists were then featured at the Wendy's High School Heisman Awards Ceremony, which was broadcast live on ESPN on Dec. 13.
Epstein said, "It was such a great honor being chosen as one of the top 10 male scholar athlete citizens in the state. It was also exciting to go to Massachusetts to meet the other Wendy's High School Heisman state finalists and winners."
