Fifteen-Year-Old Varsity Athlete Skyler Lewis Honored with CIF's Jim Staunton "Champion for Character" Award

Skyler Lewis, a junior at Grand Terrace High School (GTHS) was recently awarded the Jim Staunton “Champion for Character” award by California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section. Lewis, born and raised in Grand Terrace, started her academic career at the age of only three. At the current age of only fifteen, she is scheduled to graduate this spring. Lewis is a Varsity player for three different sport holding a current grade point average (GPA) of a 4.24. She participates on the basketball team, volleyball team, and does the long and high jump for the track and field team, although, basketball is her main focus. Lewis’ parents Lory and Emory, alums of San Bernardino High School, both played basketball there and played in college, as well. “We all love basketball,” Lory added after explaining that they are definitely a basketball family. GTHS Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Johnny Vasquez recommended Lewis for the Jim Staunton “Champion for Character” award saying that she is “exemplifying the very finest in sportsmanship, character, integrity, and athletics.” Lewis was selected to win out of thousands of possible recipients from the CIF Southern Section. Monday night, Sept. 29 the “Champion of Character” award dinner was held at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Not only did Lewis receive a certificate, a glass trophy with her name on it, and a cash award, she also received a banner to hang up in the GTHS gym that reads “Jim Staunton Champion for Character Skyler Lewis Grand Terrace High School 2014.” “God is so good,” Lewis said after receiving all of her well-deserved awards. “It was a big surprise, we didn’t know she would be receiving all that,” Lory said. There are 578 schools in the CIF Southern Section, not mentioning all the athletes that attend these schools. Only fourteen students received this award. As it reads in the award letter, “This is indeed an honor to you, your family, and to your school.” Before the dinner, Lewis had to film a short three-question video interview that would play in the background as she would accept her award. They asked her what does pursuing victory with honor mean to her, who her role model or inspiration is, and who those were that she would like to thank. Since both parents were instrumental in her interest for basketball, Lewis answered that her mother was her role model. “She taught me how to play,” Lewis shared. Other than basketball, she also mentioned that her mom taught her about life and how to be a good person. Lewis gave special thanks to her whole family: her mom Lory, her dad Emory, and two sisters Destany, and Sharaya, who were all present to witness Lewis receive the “Champion for Character” award. Lewis plans on furthering her basketball career at University of California, Riverside on a full ride scholarship. Lory shared, “We are really, really proud of her. The big surprise is that she is so humble. We love that about her.”