Photo courtesy of Mike Hutchens, Union City Schools Communications Director
By: Mike Hutchens, Union City Schools Communications Director
Union City High School has its two best chances in the Heisman hunt.
Seniors Amari Bonds and Gage Smith have been nominated by UCHS administration for the 2022 Heisman High School Scholarship.
The HHSS – sponsored by Acceptance Insurance – is continuing a long 28-year tradition of honoring high school seniors who’ve accomplished tremendous feats in the classroom, in sports and, most importantly, within their communities.
The scholarship recognizes and rewards both male and female athletes who are community-minded and use their exceptional talents for the benefit of all.
More than 600,000 esteemed seniors across the country have been awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in the High School Heisman Scholarship program since its inception.
To be eligible for the scholarship, students had to have at least a weighted ‘B’ grade-point average their first three years of high school. Candidates also were required to participate in at least one sport and also been involved in volunteer/community service or a leadership position within their community.
Bonds and Smith easily checked those boxes.
Bonds was chosen to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State basketball team as a junior. She is a member of the school’s 1,000-Point Club, a three-time all-district selection, and has been picked for the all-district tournament team three times.
An honor student, Bonds has been a member of the Beta Club, the Key Club and also the band.
She has volunteered in several youth basketball camps and is a member of the Brooks Chapel Kingdom Harvest Church in South Fulton.
Bonds has post-graduate plans of attending college and majoring in nursing.
Smith is a member of the prestigious UCHS 30+ ACT Club. He also has been recognized in the Kiwanis Student of the Month program and has been a regular on the honor roll. He was additionally a Boys’ State delegate alternate.
A standout player for the state-ranked Golden Tornado football team, Smith is a two-time All-Region selection after leading UC in tackles the past two years.
He is a member of the Pep Club, was in the band, and is involved in the Young Life program.
Smith has been employed at Flowers With Sass and plans to attend college at the University of Tennessee.
State winners of the Heisman Scholarship will be announced on Nov. 3, with national finalists revealed four days later. National winners will be announced on Nov. 30.
