Jacob Jaffe wins Scholastic Honor Award for accomplishments on the ice and in the classroom

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio - Ten U.S. Figure Skating athletes were named to the 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Scholastic Honors Team, including local high school student Jacob Jaffe.

Jaffe is a senior at Hawken School in Gates Mills where he is a member of the Spanish Club, the Physics Bowl team, the varsity soccer team, the newspaper and yearbook staffs and was recently named the physics student of the year for 2011.

He is an avid scientist with a 3.98 grade point average and has participated in the Northeast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair and completed a science research project with the Rainbow Babies and Children Hospital in Cleveland. Jaffe is also active with his synagogue as a Torah reader and youth group officer.

Jaffe trains at the Pavilion Skating Club in Cleveland Heights and recently won the bronze medal at the 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Championship with partner Hannah Rosinski. Jaffe also competed in the Junior Men’s division of the Midwestern Sectional Championship in December.

Jaffe, along with the other members of the 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Scholastic Honors Team was honored during a ceremony at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, Calif. in late January.

According to U.S. Figure Skating, every athlete in this year's class has been named to the honor roll, won academic honors and/or is an honor society member.

The Scholastic Honors program was created by U.S. Figure Skating in 1996 to recognize high school athletes who excel in academic pursuits, community involvement and the sport of figure skating.

More than 1,100 skaters have applied for the scholarship since its inception, with 200 team members selected.

The award is available to U.S. Figure Skating members of all disciplines who are juniors or seniors at an accredited high school. Students must be fulltime students with a grade point average of 3.4 or higher and have competed at the novice, junior or senior level during the past two years.