TAVARES – Asher Walker, a senior at Tavares High School, is the winner of the Roger Dearing Spirit of Sport Award, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) announced Thursday. Nominated for his hard work and efforts to give back to his community, Asher will receive a $1,500 scholarship on behalf of the FHSAA.
Asher has a 3.63 GPA and is an Advanced Placement Scholar at Tavares High School. He earned varsity letters in swimming all four years of high school. Asher is a four-year state qualifier at the Florida High School Swimming and Diving State Championships. His senior year, Asher placed seventh in the 50 free and placed third in 100 free and set a new school record.
Outside of sports, he is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Honor Society and You’re Not Alone, a teen mental health educational program and social media campaign designed to train local youth to understand that it is okay to seek help. As a trained and certified You’re Not Alone ambassador, Asher is equipped with tools that will help gradually reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. The program is meaningful to Asher because his father dealt with bi-polar depression, never received help, and passed away due to suicide. Asher’s mission is to remove the stigma surrounding depression, so no one ever is scared to ask for help.
The FHSAA developed the “Roger Dearing Spirit of Sport Award” for those who showcase the ideals of the positive spirit of sport and represent the core mission of education-based athletics.