IRVING, Texas (Nov. 14, 2023) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced today that the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation has been named the presenting sponsor of the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards, which have been presented since the 2021 season to the top academic football teams from each level of play within each state.
 
"We are extremely pleased that the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation is joining us alongside the state high school coaches associations from across the country in highlighting the connection between winning on the field and in the classroom," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "The Rose Bowl Stadium stands among the most iconic names in college football and connecting their name, along with that of the Rose Bowl Institute, with one of our marquee high school honors sends a powerful message about the opportunities created for those who achieve excellence at the high school level. I am sure in the near future we'll see high school players honored on these teams playing in the Rose Bowl."
 
In 2021, with leadership from the Nebraska and Texas state high school coaches associations and in partnership with 32 others, the National Football Foundation launched the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards, a first-of-its-kind team award to honor excellence in the classroom, on the field, and in the community by high school football teams across the country. The initiative is designed to inspire and foster a culture of academic excellence in high school football teams throughout the nation. Since its inception, 122 teams have been announced as state winners.

"The values of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame undoubtedly align with what the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation stands for, as well as those of the Rose Bowl Institute and the newly-opened California High School Football Hall of Fame," said Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation President Dedan Brozino. "Since the iconic Rose Bowl opened its doors 101 years ago, it has seen over 100 million fans from all around the world. We are thankful that this partnership with the NFF will continue aligning the preservation, protection, and enhancement of the global viability of America's Stadium and what it means to the game of college football."
 
The winners from each division of play are selected by the individual states' high school coaches associations from a pool of nominees submitted by each school's head coach.  Eligibility requirements for the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards Presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation include:
 

• A minimum cumulative team GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Superior academic application and performance.
• Successful football season.

 
Each year a selection committee, created by the NFF, also selects one team from the winners of the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards as the best in the nation and as the recipient of the NFF Hatchell Cup Presented by "The Original" Bob's Steak & Chop House.
 
The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation launched the Rose Bowl Institute in 2020 during the pandemic with the basis of providing free educational programming to youth around the country and the world rooted in the values of sportsmanship, leadership, and citizenship.  Since its launch, the Institute has impacted over 30,000 youth in over 30 states and 8 countries.  Managed by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, the Stadium's 501c3 nonprofit organization that exists to preserve, protect, and enhance the future of the Stadium, the Institute is led by a national, influencer Advisory Board comprised of 44 leading sports, media, civic, and business leaders. 

Click here for past winners of the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards Presented by Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Hatchell Cup Presented by The Original Bob's Steak and Chop House.