Galena High graduate Lauren Wallace learned that drinking milk can pay off when she was awarded with the Scholar-Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) award.
Wallace, a standout volleyball player who will play volleyball at Point Loma Nazarene College near San Diego, was one of 25 high school scholar-athletes chosen to receive the 'got milk?'/Milk Mustache campaign's SAMMY award. Wallace was selected from 30,000 applicants by a celebrity judge panel consisting of Kurt Warner, Cal Ripken Jr., Marion Jones, Mat Hoffman, Mia Hamm, Pete Sampras and Tony Hawk.
Wallace receives a $7,500 scholarship and is featured in a milk mustache ad. Wallace's ad has appeared in USA Today and is scheduled to appear in Sports Illustrated and ESPN Magazine. Wallace also joins 100 past SAMMY award winners in the SAMMY Hall of Fame at the Milk House at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla.
Wallace was class valedictorian with an A-plus average and president of Galena's National Honors Society. She was chosen for her academic and athletic achievements as well as strong leadership qualities.
Among the community programs that Wallace volunteers for are the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity and the Ronald McDonald House food kitchen.