Granite State Dairy | Student-Athlete Scholarship

NEW FOR 2023-24:  Click to Nominate a Chocolate Milk Champion at Your School! 

Does You Know a Chocolate Milk Champion? Many educators, coaches, athletic trainers, and student-athletes recognize the benefits of recovering after a tough workout with the protein and nutrients found in lowfat chocolate milk. Nominate a “Chocolate Milk Champion” from your school to receive $100 to purchase chocolate milk for a whole team and more!

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2024 Granite State Dairy Promotion Student-Athlete Scholarships Awarded

Abhinav, Braley Win Scholarships from Granite State Dairy Promotion

Abhinav Avvaru, Nashua High School South

All about Abhinav and his high school experience:

  • GPA: 4.68/5.0
  • Challenging Courses: AP Calculus AB, AP Environmental Science, AP Computer Science, AP Macroeconomics, AP World History, AP Calculus BC, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, AP Microeconomics, AP Biology, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Physics 1, AP European History, AP Government, AP Literature
  • Clubs:
    • TEDx (President/Founder) | Speaker and Organizer
    • Enliven Students (Founder) Nonprofit initiative created to educate students on harmful effects of vaping
    • Tennis (Captain) | Ranked #49 in New England and #1 in New Hampshire in 2022 USTA Boys 16 and under ranking list; seeded #3 in state singles tournament in 2024
    • Science and Engineering Club (Founder) |Scientific research discussed in recognitions
    • Piano | Eight-time Carnegie Hall Winning Performances
    • Math Team | Member of State Champion Varsity Team in 2023 and 2024
    • Math Honor Society (President) | Conduct SAT/math tutoring in school
  • Recognitions:
    • Best Overall Project in Fair in New Hampshire Science and Engineering Expo (’23, ’24)
    • Winner of EPA Sustainability Award in International fair
    • Winner of NH Stockholm Junior Water Prize (2021, 2022, 2023)
    • National Merit Finalist

Abhinav’s leadership roles and high school sports activities:

From Abhinav: “I open my browser, navigating to the Nashua South High’s coaches’ directory. The glaring “OPEN” beside boys’ tennis hits me again. It was two months before the season’s start, yet we were still without a coach.

At this point, Nashua South had a struggling tennis program, having never won a playoff game since Nashua High split. With no coach for the team, I lugged a basket of tennis balls to the courts and encouraged my teammates to join, initiating the first of many pre-season practices. Although we eventually got a new coach days before the season started, I continued individually working with players as the elected captain. Three months later, my team achieved a 12-1 record, winning the first playoff game in program history.

Not willing to lose momentum, I wanted to sustain this winning culture. Initiating off-season recruitment drives, I recruited students who excelled in other sports, injecting new talent into our team. Despite another coaching change before my junior year and another before my senior year, I kept pushing my team by holding consistent practices, resulting in three consecutive years of playoff wins.

I also helped my teammates make good, healthy choices as an elected captain since my sophomore year. I ensured that everyone was getting ideal hydration, by encouraging them to drink water and chocolate milk, which is my choice of recovery. I also helped me and my teammates with stretching before and after games, reducing our injury risks.”

Why Chocolate Milk?

From Abhinav: “Picture this: after a grueling match under the blazing sun, I reach for that familiar carton of chocolate milk. With every sip, it's not just about the rich flavor; it's about the science behind it. The blend of carbohydrates and protein rush into my tired muscles, swiftly replenishing what I've exerted during those intense rallies and serves.

On a personal level, the impact is undeniable. Gone are the days of waking up feeling like I've been hit by a truck after a tough match. Instead, I wake up feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to take on the day's challenges. It's as if chocolate milk has given me an extra edge, a secret weapon that keeps me performing at my absolute best, match after match.”

Chocolate milk isn't just my recovery beverage of choice—it's my trusted ally, supporting me through every serve, every volley, and every victory on the tennis court.

The Future: Attending Columbia University and majoring in Environmental Science

 

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Isabel (Izzi) Braley, Newfound Regional High School ('24)

All about Izzi and her high school experience: As the salutatorian, Izzi maintained a 4.19 GPA. Along with six AP courses, she also served as President of her school’s National Honors Society, Student Council, and Student Staff Senate.

While in high school, Izzi was a devoted member of NRHS’s music and theatre departments, and she participated in multiple honors festivals for both band and choir.  She also played a lead role in twelve theatrical productions, was a member the Rho Kappa Social Studies Honors Society, participated in the Student Athletic Leadership Team, and actively volunteers within the community as a coach and mentor.

From Izzi: “I have a passion for working with kids and helping others, so I volunteer with our local community center, the TTCC, to coach youth soccer and basketball, and I work with our local elementary schools to mentor kids.”

“I also worked closely with the Bridgewater Hebron Village School to do my senior project on Mental Health Education in Adolescents, where I was able to work one-on-one with students, teachers, counselors, and administrators to educate our youth and community on the importance of healthy minds at a young age. In addition to these activities, I volunteer with the Rotary as a returning counselor for the Rotary Youth Leadership Conference, where I serve as a mentor to rising juniors from NH, Vermont, and Canada to teach them leadership skills and help them reach their fullest potential.”

Izzi’s leadership roles and high school sports activities:

  • Varsity Soccer (Girls) | Four Years
  • Unified Basketball | Four Years
  • Girls Track and Field | Four Years
  • New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) Scholar-Athlete
  • Captain Girls Soccer and Unified Basketball
  • Member of the NHIAA’s Life of an Athlete Student Leadership Committee(SLC) | Four Years

From Izzi:“[Being a member of the SLC] taught me incredible amounts of leadership, integrity, courage, and strength. My advisor, Dave Rozumek is a selfless leader and experienced athlete whose lessons and intentionality have honestly changed my life.[His mentorship] helped reshape my perspective as an athlete and solidified my values as a person. The lessons I have learned and the people I have met through the SLC have made me a more empathetic and open-minded person.I became a more team-oriented and selfless athlete.”

“As an leader within athletics, I believe that it is my responsibility to put the team before myself, and I think that the lessons I have learned over the years through sports and athletic leadership groups have made me a more ambitious and empathetic athlete.”

Why is chocolate milk your recovery beverage of choice?

I grew up in a family of chocolate milk lovers, so I was indoctrinated into the same adoration. Now that I’m older and a nerd for nutritional science and kinesiology, I understand how chocolate milk can provide the protein, calcium, and calories you need to fuel your mind and body as a student-athlete.

When I was younger … I spent a lot of mornings laughing with my grandfather while drinking my chocolate milk as we talked about my weekend soccer games, basketball tournaments, and softball clinics. I never realized how significant these moments would become until recently when I was sitting at the table with my grandfather and our chocolate milk, preparing for an upcoming track meet.

My grandfather was an incredible track athlete in high school, and I had always wanted to impress him, even though he never made me feel as though I had to. My grandfather is my biggest athletic supporter, and for me, chocolate milk symbolizes early mornings, laughter, and all the other memories I had as I grew up playing sports, and these moments have made me the athlete and the person I am today.

The Future: Pursuing a double major in Elementary Education and Commercial Songwriting at Lipscomb University (Nashville, TN).

 

 

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2023 Winner: Isabella Mendez (Newmarket Jr/Sr High School)  |   Francis Krupp (Portsmouth High School)

2022 Winners: Wade Fisher (Merrimack Valley High School)  | Avery Stewart (Fall Mountain Regional High School)

About the Granite State Dairy Promotion: The Mission of Granite State Dairy Promotion (GSDP) is to increase the sale and use of milk and other dairy products through promotional activities, nutrition education, and to enhance the image of the dairy industry in New Hampshire. In undertaking this mission, GSDP purposely builds on national and regional dairy industry research and promotion efforts. Learn more here.

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Media Contact: Jenna Raizes, Teall Properties Group | jenna.raizes@teallpropertiesgroup.com