CHAPEL HILL – Lauren White of North Mecklenburg High School and Colby Meador of Rockingham County High School have been named the recipients of the Clary Medals awarded by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

The two outstanding student-athletes will be recognized at the NCHSAA’s Annual Meeting on May 3 at the Dean E. Smith Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The Clary Medal is made possible through the generosity of the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation through the NCHSAA Endowment. It annually recognizes an outstanding male and female student-athlete who will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to further his or her education at the college level.

To be eligible for the award, a student must be a senior at an NCHSAA member school, participate on at least two athletic teams, maintain at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale, and demonstrate excellence in athletic participation, extra-curricular activities and community service.

White is a straight-A student who is ranked second in a senior class of 659 and sports a weighted grade point average of 5.125. She has participated in cross-country, swimming and outdoor track during her varsity career, helping lead North to a fourth-place finish in the NCHSAA state 4-A cross-country championships last fall. She has served as co-captain of both the cross-country and track teams.

In addition to her athletic achievements, she has won numerous awards in the Science Olympiad, is a member of the National Honor Society, and has provided hundreds of volunteer hours for a variety of church and community activities.

Meador is ranked first in his class of 227 at Rockingham with a 4.648 weighted grade point average. He has played soccer and baseball during his career and was named captain and Most Valuable Player of the soccer team during his senior season in the fall.

President of the National Honor Society at Rockingham, Meador is a talented musician who has played in the marching band, concert band and jazz band at the school. He is also active at his church and has earned the Eagle Scout award.

The award is in memory of Wilburn Columbus Clary, a member of the NCHSAA Hall of Fame who was an outstanding coach and game official. He served as the executive secretary of the old Western North Carolina High School Activities Association from 1948 through 1977, when its schools joined the NCHSAA. Clary was also the first collegiate football official to be inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

“Both Lauren and Colby are exemplary citizens and student-athletes,” said Charlie Adams, executive director of the NCHSAA. “They are outstanding selections for the first Clary Medals, which we believe is fast becoming one of the top awards the NCHSAA can present to a student.”

Last year’s inaugural winners of the award included Nicole Harris of North Wilkes and Brad Hardee of South Caldwell.