Positive Athlete Announces South Central Regional Athletes of the Year for 2024-2025 School Year
Positive Athlete, a national organization committed to honoring high-character student-athletes, announced the Year 1 Positive Athletes of the Year for the South Central region. For the first time ever, the Positive Athlete organization recognized local athletes from across Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Texas, and West Texas, with selected winners who are high-character kids that have been nominated and confirmed by their schools and communities as the most positive.
Dallas, TX, August 29, 2025 --(PR.com)-- Positive Athlete, a national organization committed to honoring high-character student-athletes & and coaches, proudly announces the inaugural Positive Athlete Most Positive Winners for the South Central Region—excluding North Texas (standalone market).
For the first time ever, student-athletes & sports admin from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Texas, and West Texas were nominated by coaches, principals, athletic directors, teachers, and parents from both public and private high schools. These nominations celebrated students not only for their athletic performance but for living out Positive Athlete’s core values, represented by the acronym:
O.P.E.R.A.T.E
Optimistic
Puts Team First
Encouraging
Respectful
Admits Imperfection
True Heart for Others
Embraces Service
Close to 1,000 nominations from coaches, principals, athletic directors, teachers, and parents were submitted for the Positive Athlete program in the South Central Region, representing numerous public and private high schools, covering 26 sports across the sporting spectrum.
Since its founding, Positive Athlete has recognized over 60,000 high school student-athletes and coaches who make a difference in their communities and awarded more than $600,000 in college scholarships to students demonstrating excellence beyond the playing field.
“We’re incredibly excited to launch our South Central Region awards and celebrate young athletes whose character inspires others,” said Scott Pederson, CEO of Positive Athlete. “While talent is often what grabs headlines, we believe it's heart, integrity, and service that truly set these athletes apart.
The 2024-2025 Positive Athletes of the Year for the South Central Region:
Girls “Positive Athletes of the Year”
● Angelica Martinez – PSJA Southwest (South TX) – SR – Wrestling, Volleyball
● Bailee Mueller – Union High School (OK) – SR – Volleyball, Cheerleading/Stunt
● Holly Martinez – William Chrisman High School (MO) – SR – Archery
● Jo’Mhara Benning – Topeka High School (KS) – SR – Softball, Volleyball, Basketball
● Kenzie Wall – Maumelle High School (AR) – SR – Soccer
● Lanee Owens – Syracuse High School (KS) – SR – Golf, Cheerleading, Track & Field
● Ruth Wieghat** – Montgomery High School (South TX) – SR – Soccer
Boys “Positive Athletes of the Year”
● Cooper Zickefoose – Claremore High School (OK) – SR – Wrestling, Track & Field
● Gabriel Terrazas – El Dorado High School (West TX) – SR – Football, Track & Field
● Jameyin Smith – Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (LA)– SO – Weightlifting, Wrestling, Track & Field
● Jerrett Walls – Forsyth High School (MO) – SR – Football, Basketball, Baseball
● Kyler Elliott – Smith Center High School (KS) – SR – Basketball, Track & Field
● Logan Gray – Alief Taylor High School (South TX) – SR – Football
● Malaki Siner** – Russellville High School (AR) – SR – Basketball
Coaches “Positive Athletes of the Year”
● Dominic Cameron - IDEA Harvey E. Najim (South Texas) - Basketball, Track & Field
● Latoya Muse - Cypress Park Highs School (South Texas) – Track & Field, Cross Country
● Tomika Gray - Crossover Preparatory Academy (Oklahoma) - Cross Country, Track & Field, Athletics
**Two scholarships will be awarded, totaling $5,000. These recipients included Ruth Wieghat winning the female O.P.E.R.A.T.E Award and Malaki Siner winning the male O.P.E.R.A.T.E. Award, each receiving $2,500
toward the academic institution or trade school of their choice.
Nominations will reopen on September 8 for the 2025-26 school year, along with the exclusive release of the new Positive Athlete APP. For more information, visit the Positive Athlete website or social media accounts.
About Positive Athlete
About Positive Athlete Positive Athlete, INC., is now a national organization that seeks to promote the benefits of positivity to young athletes around the country through awards, scholarships, and special opportunities all around the country. In January 2025, Positive Athlete expanded nationally with a bold mission: to recognize student-athletes across the country for their leadership, resilience, and character beyond the game. From January-May 2025, they received 12,270 nominations, across 50 states and 3,327 schools...16% of the high schools in the entire country! More than $100,000 in scholarships will be awarded nationally by Positive Athlete for the 2024-2025 school year.
For the first time ever, student-athletes & sports admin from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Texas, and West Texas were nominated by coaches, principals, athletic directors, teachers, and parents from both public and private high schools. These nominations celebrated students not only for their athletic performance but for living out Positive Athlete’s core values, represented by the acronym:
O.P.E.R.A.T.E
Optimistic
Puts Team First
Encouraging
Respectful
Admits Imperfection
True Heart for Others
Embraces Service
Close to 1,000 nominations from coaches, principals, athletic directors, teachers, and parents were submitted for the Positive Athlete program in the South Central Region, representing numerous public and private high schools, covering 26 sports across the sporting spectrum.
Since its founding, Positive Athlete has recognized over 60,000 high school student-athletes and coaches who make a difference in their communities and awarded more than $600,000 in college scholarships to students demonstrating excellence beyond the playing field.
“We’re incredibly excited to launch our South Central Region awards and celebrate young athletes whose character inspires others,” said Scott Pederson, CEO of Positive Athlete. “While talent is often what grabs headlines, we believe it's heart, integrity, and service that truly set these athletes apart.
The 2024-2025 Positive Athletes of the Year for the South Central Region:
Girls “Positive Athletes of the Year”
● Angelica Martinez – PSJA Southwest (South TX) – SR – Wrestling, Volleyball
● Bailee Mueller – Union High School (OK) – SR – Volleyball, Cheerleading/Stunt
● Holly Martinez – William Chrisman High School (MO) – SR – Archery
● Jo’Mhara Benning – Topeka High School (KS) – SR – Softball, Volleyball, Basketball
● Kenzie Wall – Maumelle High School (AR) – SR – Soccer
● Lanee Owens – Syracuse High School (KS) – SR – Golf, Cheerleading, Track & Field
● Ruth Wieghat** – Montgomery High School (South TX) – SR – Soccer
Boys “Positive Athletes of the Year”
● Cooper Zickefoose – Claremore High School (OK) – SR – Wrestling, Track & Field
● Gabriel Terrazas – El Dorado High School (West TX) – SR – Football, Track & Field
● Jameyin Smith – Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (LA)– SO – Weightlifting, Wrestling, Track & Field
● Jerrett Walls – Forsyth High School (MO) – SR – Football, Basketball, Baseball
● Kyler Elliott – Smith Center High School (KS) – SR – Basketball, Track & Field
● Logan Gray – Alief Taylor High School (South TX) – SR – Football
● Malaki Siner** – Russellville High School (AR) – SR – Basketball
Coaches “Positive Athletes of the Year”
● Dominic Cameron - IDEA Harvey E. Najim (South Texas) - Basketball, Track & Field
● Latoya Muse - Cypress Park Highs School (South Texas) – Track & Field, Cross Country
● Tomika Gray - Crossover Preparatory Academy (Oklahoma) - Cross Country, Track & Field, Athletics
**Two scholarships will be awarded, totaling $5,000. These recipients included Ruth Wieghat winning the female O.P.E.R.A.T.E Award and Malaki Siner winning the male O.P.E.R.A.T.E. Award, each receiving $2,500
toward the academic institution or trade school of their choice.
Nominations will reopen on September 8 for the 2025-26 school year, along with the exclusive release of the new Positive Athlete APP. For more information, visit the Positive Athlete website or social media accounts.
About Positive Athlete
About Positive Athlete Positive Athlete, INC., is now a national organization that seeks to promote the benefits of positivity to young athletes around the country through awards, scholarships, and special opportunities all around the country. In January 2025, Positive Athlete expanded nationally with a bold mission: to recognize student-athletes across the country for their leadership, resilience, and character beyond the game. From January-May 2025, they received 12,270 nominations, across 50 states and 3,327 schools...16% of the high schools in the entire country! More than $100,000 in scholarships will be awarded nationally by Positive Athlete for the 2024-2025 school year.
Contact
Positive Athlete
Jeremy Lukas
469-693-5984
www.positiveathlete.org
Jeremy Lukas
469-693-5984
www.positiveathlete.org
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