By HADLEY NEAL and REGAN OLIVER, Gazebo Staff Writers

Seniors Sachin Khurana and Ann Thompson have been named as Stratford’s recipients of the Wendy’s Heisman Award. It is a national award for exceptional student athletes and model community service students.

Between studying and participating in athletics, these seniors make time to better their school, community and the wider world.

Sachin is a star tennis player who recently signed a national letter-of-intent to play for Mercer University, where he plans to major in Finance and Investments. He is an excellent student, with a GPA of 4.29.

His advice to his classmates at Stratford is to make priorities and strive for balance.

“Sacrifices definitely have to be made,” he said. “Weekends, long nights, and your friends have to understand that you’re a busy person. Student athletes definitely have to have their priorities in check.”

When he started playing sports at Stratford, his parents gave him an ultimatum: Make good grades or quit sports.

Khurana volunteers at local tennis tournaments and workshops for children who otherwise would not have the opportunity to play the sport.

Ann Thompson is graduating with more community service hours than she can count. Most of her involvement has been with mission trips through her church, First Presbyterian, and other organizations.

She has traveled to Nicaragua, Belize, and Uganda. She said she enjoyed traveling and doing rewarding work with amazing people.

Another way she serves her community is by helping a local church serve breakfast for those in need on Sunday mornings several times each month.

Her own plate is full, too. She plays basketball and soccer, and is a cheerleader. She said she has learned how to balance her busy schedule.

“It has gotten progressively easier since I started all of these sports in middle school,” she said. “That’s when you learn to schedule things the right way.’’

She has applied to Georgia Tech, Furman and Tulane, and possibly major in Ecology and Environmental Science.