Cyr, Patterson pleased with HS Heisman finish

Kate O’Toole of Villa Hills, Ky. and Jeff Donaldson of Jasper, Alabama may have won the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award at a banquet in New York City Friday night, but Maine’s two representatives have had fun seeing the sights and meeting the other 10 finalists for the prestigious national award.

Kelly Cyr, a senior at Wisdom High School in St. Agatha, and Bangor Christian’s Chris Patterson both said they weren’t disappointed to head back to Maine without the honors.

“I think we were all pretty evenly matched,” said Patterson, who lives in Brewer. “I’m happy for the guy who won it.”

Neither Patterson nor Cyr had been to New York City before, but by Friday night they had both been to the New York Stock Exchange and the Statue of Liberty.

“It’s everything I thought it would be,” said Cyr. “It’s definitely a lot different from Maine.”

More than 12,000 students were nominated for the Wendy’s High School Heisman program by their principals.

The award is presented annually to one male and one female high school senior who best exemplify the designation of scholar-citizen-athletes.

Candidates are judged equally in the areas of academics, community service and athletics.

Cyr boasts a perfect 4.0 grade point average at Wisdom Middle High School and is a standout in basketball, softball, soccer and volleyball.

She serves as a volunteer at Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent and has co-directed a leader camp.

Patterson is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Junior Honor Society and carries a 3.5 grade point average at Bangor Christian.

He competes for the Patriots in basketball, soccer and track and has done community service work through his church group and as a volunteer worker and delivery driver for the elderly.

Both Patterson and Cyr earned their high schools $1,500 for being chosen as one of 12 national finalists (six boys and six girls).

The two national winners earned a crystal trophy and $4,000 in cash awards for their respective schools.

The Wendy’s High School Heisman Award was originated in 1994.