National Football Foundation

Driven by his desire to succeed and a passion for football, Jake Wheeler rose to the top of both the academic and athletic worlds in high school while taking one of the most demanding curriculums available. 

An outstanding student, Wheeler has consistently ranked near the top of his class. Named Laguna Beach High (LBHS) School Male Athlete of the Year, he received numerous academic awards, including the LBHS Excellence Award for English and Golden State Exam honors in Chemistry. A four-year recipient of the LBHS Gold Card for Academic Excellence, Wheeler received the NFF Orange County Chapter "Paul Cleary Scholarship" as the top All-Around Scholar-Athlete at the chapter's 2004 banquet. 

A team captain, wide receiver and defensive back, Wheeler helped guide Laguna Beach to the league championship and earned First Team All-League status in 2003. Named team Most Valuable Player in 2003, he was also named Team Back of the Year and Freshman Offensive MVP in prior years. 

The Associated Student Body President, Wheeler lectured Drunk Driving classes and coached little league baseball. With over 500 hours of community service, he has worked in Africa as well as Native American Reservations in the American southwest to build and repair houses. 

Wheeler received bachelor's degrees in psychology and African studies from Emory University (Ga.) and a master's in human global development from Georgetown. He is currently the associate director of the Indigenous Education Foundation of Tanzania.