COLUMBUS – The Ohio High School Athletic Association rewarded excellence in the classroom and in the athletic arena with the announcement of the Scholar-Athlete Scholarship recipients.
Lucianna Paolillo, a 2026 Edgewood High School graduate, was the lone Ashtabula County recipient among nearly 200 student-athletes who were honored.
The OHSAA and its six District Athletic Boards awarded $198,000 to recent high school graduates as part of the Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Program.
A total of 198 graduating seniors were selected by their respective District Athletic Boards to receive a $1,000 award.
The OHSAA has distributed $598,000 to graduating seniors through its college scholarship program over the last three years. The $200,000 awarded in both 2024 and 2025 marked the highest totals in the 32-year history of the program.
“These scholar-athletes represent the very best of education-based athletics,” OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute said in a press release. “Our District Athletic Boards, Board of Directors and OHSAA staff collectively share a great deal of pride in the college scholarship program. We congratulate each of the recipients on all their accomplishments and wish them well as they work toward their educational and career goals.”
Scholar-athlete recipients are selected based on a point system which rewards students for grade-point averages, class rank, community service activities, varsity letters earned and individual and team athletic honors.
The recipients were selected by special committees within each of the OHSAA’s six athletic districts. Individuals who receive athletic scholarships from NCAA Division I or II institutions or appointees to military academies are not eligible for an award.
The number of scholarship recipients from each district is based upon the number of schools within the district.
The Northeast District had the most students receive 2026 OHSAA Scholar-Athlete Scholarships with 53. The Southwest District had 42 and the Northwest District had 40. The Central District received 28 of the scholarships while Southeast District received 18 and the Eastern District received 17.
In addition to the scholarships, the OHSAA has sent $1,250 to each member high school – a total of $1.02 million – to assist with items needed by each school’s athletic department. The money comes from the OHSAA’s Athletic Enrichment Fund, which was established in 2023 for the purpose of providing a financial contribution to each member high school’s athletic department to assist with costs of equipment, uniforms, game transportation, officials and improving student sportsmanship and adult fan behavior.
