Several local graduating seniors who epitomize the phrase 'student-athlete' got their time in the spotlight Monday night.

Eight high school athletes - four girls and four boys - from the Bright House Sports Network coverage area were honored by the FHSAA for being selected to the Academic All-State team.

The group of 24 student-athletes from around Florida features nine valedictorians, two salutatorians, 10 three-sport athletes and four four-sport athletes. It is an honor that recognizes not just athletic accomplishments but also academic and community achievements.

Monday's honorees included Robinson's Caroline King, Merritt Island's Nina Li, Canterbury's Emily McMullen, Lake Brantley's Danielle Noonan, Lake Region's Jared Blackburn, Viera's Alexander Liles, Indian Rocks Christian's Christopher Parish and Eduardo Macias from Dr. Phillips.

Each will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

King was named the female Scholar Athlete of the Year and gets $4,000 in total scholarship money.

This year marks the 20th consecutive year for the scholarship program, which provides $30,000 anually in scholarships to deserving scholar-athletes.

“These exceptional individuals represent the very best of what it means to be a student-athlete,” FHSAA Executive Director Dr. Roger Dearing said. “More important than developing outstanding athletes is our goal to develop outstanding citizens, and we are proud to recognize those who have what it takes to be leaders in their communities for many years to come.”

To be eligible for selection to the Academic All-State Team, a student-athlete must be a graduating senior, have a cumulative unweighted grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have earned a varsity letter in at least two different sports during each of his or her junior and senior years. The members were chosen from among more than 150 qualified candidates at the Association’s 685 member schools, with the honorees selected based on academic record, athletic participation, non-athletic activities, community service and an essay.

Below are profiles of those locals named Academic All-State:

• Caroline King, Robinson (Tampa) – Caroline is the daughter of Peter and Beth King. A recipient of National Merit Commendation, she has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked in the top 10 percent of her class. Caroline has earned four varsity letters in soccer, three in flag football and one each in cross country and lacrosse. She was an Honor Council representative, a member of the National Honor Society and National French Honor Society and secretary of Key Club. Caroline has spent more than 400 hours of community service by volunteering her time with the All Children’s Hospital, Open Arms, Feeding America and Best Buddies of Tampa Bay. Caroline will attend the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, and study pre-medicine.

• Nina Li, Merritt Island – Nina is the daughter of Zhen and Ling Li. With a 3.97 grade point average, Nina is the valedictorian of Merritt Island High School and is also an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. She earned four varsity letters each in cross country and track and field. She was the class historian, president of Key Club and National Honor Society and a member of the Blood Drive Club and Freshman Orientation. Nina volunteered with the Cape Canaveral Hospital Auxiliary, Relay for Life, Florida Blood Centers (One Blood) and UNICEF. She will attend Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts, to study biology with a pre-professional medicine track.

• Emily McMullen, Canterbury School (St. Petersburg) – Emily is the daughter of Steve and Susan McMullen. She has a 4.0 grade point average, is salutatorian of Canterbury School in a senior class of 48 students and is a National Merit Scholar, Presidential Scholar semifinalist and Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta and Latin Honor Society. Emily earned seven varsity letters in swimming, four in basketball and two in softball. She was also a member of the International Thespian Society, Envirothon, Interact and SCUBA Venture Crew, where she was president as a junior and a senior. Emily has shared her time and academic excellence with others in her community, earning more than 400 hours of community service through the St. Thomas Episcopal Church and tutoring. She will attend Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with a major in biology and a focus on genetic research.

• Danielle Noonan, Lake Brantley (Altamonte Springs) – Danielle is the daughter of Kevin and Rachel Noonan. She has a 4.0 grade point average, ranks 15th in a senior class of 627 students, received a Letter of Commendation for National Merit and was a National Advanced Placement Scholar with Honor. Danielle earned varsity letters in swimming all four years of high school and two letters in water polo her junior and senior years. During her time in high school, she participated in National Honor Society, Math Honor Society and Latin Honor Society. Danielle is a member of her church choir and volunteered her time with the BETA Service Club, STAND (Students for Toddlers-through-Teens who are Abused, Neglected, or Diseased), helped organize an annual blanket drive for the homeless for more than six years and has been a swim instructor for three years. She will attend Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, to study environmental engineering.

• Jared Blackburn, Lake Region (Eagle Lake) – Jared is the son of John and Patricia Blackburn. He has a 3.86 grade point average and ranks fourth in a senior class of 334 students. Jared earned three varsity letters in soccer, along with two in football and track and field and one in weightlifting. He was a class representative all four years of high school and was vice president of the National Honor Society, as well as an actor in a school play. Jared has given back to his community through over 600 hours with the Boy Scouts of America, Winter Haven Youth Soccer, Lake Region High School and Polk County Schools (Boswell Elementary), all while working as a lifeguard and a soccer referee. He will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, to study biochemistry on a pre-medicine track with a possible double major in biomedical engineering.

• Alexander Liles, Viera – Alexander is the son of William and Luanne Liles. He is valedictorian of Viera High School with a 4.0 grade point average and an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. He has earned three varsity letters each in golf and lacrosse. Alexander was involved with student government, serving as a student senator throughout high school, and as student body president his senior year. He was the Viera High School ambassador for the Mid-Florida Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) conference and was the Mid-Florida ambassador at the HOBY World Leadership Congress. He volunteered through his participation in National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, CCMV Youth Group and Peacejam Club, in which he was a founding father. Alexander will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, to study history and finance on the pre-law track.

• Eduardo Macias, Dr. Phillips (Orlando) – Eduardo is the son of Salvador and Isabel Macias. He is an Academic All-American and an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. Eduardo has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks 11th in a senior class of 776 students. He earned varsity letters all four years of high school in swimming and three varsity letters in water polo. During his time in school, Eduardo participated in National Honor Society and Beta Club, was president of International Council and was selected to be a part of the KAKEHASHI Project, where he participated in a Japanese government-funded youth exchange program with North America. Aside from academics and athletics, he spent over 250 community service hours volunteering for the Special Olympics, Give Kids the World, Relay for Life and the Surfrider Foundation. Eduardo will attend Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and study chemical engineering.

• Christopher Parish, Indian Rocks Christian (Largo) – Christopher is the son of Rev. Jeff and Martha Parish. As the valedictorian of Indian Rocks Christian School, he has maintained a 4.0 grade point average. Christopher was the student council chaplain his junior year, served on the executive board for National Honor Society and participated in school musicals and community theater. He earned four varsity letters in football and three in track and field, as well as one varsity letter in basketball. Christopher is also president of the Chess Club, a mentor and peer tutor and the IRCS Morning Show Sports Anchor. Outside of school, he volunteers his time with Drama Teen Outreach, on service project trips and as a rotation leader at Vacation Bible School. Christopher will attend Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, to study biochemistry and molecular biology in hopes of performing medical research.

Click the video link for highlights from Monday's ceremony.