From playing three varsity sports a year to balancing a full course load of IB or AP classes, this year’s winners of the prestigious Model Ram award exceeded expectations by working hard on and off the field throughout high school.

RHS alumni Andrew Brown and Katrina Le were selected as the 2016 winners of the BJ Thomson Model Ram award. The Model Rams are selected by Booster Club members based on a points system for academic excellence, community involvement and sportsmanship. Both students received a 1000 dollar scholarship and a plaque with their name, and they will both be seen as role models for current and future students.

“I think it’s a great thing that kids should strive to do, it stresses the importance of being a student athlete, not just a great athlete” Athletic Director Michael Hayes said. “The whole Model Ram award is your overall high school experience, so everything you’ve done, and I think that person really stands out.”

Throughout their four years of high school, Brown and Le both played three sports while maintaining high GPAs and participating in other extracurricular activities, both being involved in the RHS National Honors Society (NHS).

Every year of high school, Brown played football, basketball and baseball for RHS, and was a captain of all three varsity teams his senior year. He was also very involved in the RHS music program and an was IB scholar, as well as an Eagle Scout.

“I hope to show younger students that playing multiple sports, being involved in the community, and doing well in school is all possible,” Brown said.

Brown was nominated by varsity baseball coach Farron Riggs because of his qualities as an individual and a student.

“I would just hope that Andrew doesn’t change. If he stays true to himself, he will continue to be someone that everyone around him will look up to,” Riggs said.

According to Hayes, both of this year’s Model Rams were deserving of the award due to their commendable characters.

“They’re just nice people, that’s the best thing about them, they’re good people, so I think being a role model that way is important,” Hayes said.

Like Brown, Le also played three sports for her first three years high school, volleyball, basketball and softball. However, during her senior year she chose to play only volleyball and softball, and was captain of the varsity volleyball team. Academically, she took an AP course load and was President of the RHS Key Club, as well as being an associate editor of the Rampage.

“She’s a very motivated, hard working student-athlete, which we want all of our Rockville athletes to be like,” Varsity Volleyball coach Stacey Krebs said. Krebs nominated Le for the award due to her achievements on and off the court.

Even though it took a lot of time and effort in order to become the Model Rams, Le and Brown both want to motivated other students to work hard.

“It seems like a lot of hard work, but in the end you’ll always be remembered as a Ram,” Le said.