Olympic Gymnast And Gold Medalist Laurie Hernandez to Host The 2017 Varsity Brands School Spirit Awards

MEMPHIS, Tenn., – Varsity Brands (varsitybrands.com) today announced Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Laurie Hernandez as the host of Varsity Brands School Spirit Awards Show on May 15th at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, Florida, to honor the very best Students, Staff, and Schools across America. Hernandez will be joined by Pennsylvania-based teacher Richard Curtis, best known for his appearances as co-host on Live! With Kelly daytime talk show.

The Varsity Brands School Spirit Awards, presented by Varsity Spirit, Herff Jones and BSN SPORTS, will present $100,000 in award money to the 23 category winners May 15th.

The grand prize winner will be named America’s Most Spirited High School and will receive $25,000 from Varsity Brands. Finalists include Bingham High School in South Jordan, UT; Broken Arrow High School in Broken Arrow, OK; El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA; and Kahuku High School in Kahuku, HI.

“Varsity Brands is thrilled to have Laurie Hernandez and Richard Curtis on board to host the Varsity School Spirit Awards Ceremony,” said Jeff Webb, Founder and Chairman of Varsity Brands. “They both embody the true meaning of the word spirit. Laurie stole America’s heart with her infectious smile at last year’s Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, and has become a true role model for young athletes across the nation. Similarly, Richard has become a role model to his students, helping them discover their strengths and passions. That’s what spirit is all about!”

“I’m excited to be hosting the Varsity Brands School Spirit Awards,” says Laurie Hernandez. “From my experience as a gymnast at the Olympic Games, spirit is what got the 'Final Five' to the top. It’s what signified the bond between our team. I can’t wait to help honor those who go above and beyond to build school pride, student engagement and community spirit.”

“As a dedicated high school teacher, I’m all about school spirit. It’s so important to give students a sense of unity,” said Curtis. “I’m honored to co-host the Varsity Brand School Spirit Awards to celebrate those making a difference in our communities.”

To learn more about Varsity Brands and its School Spirit Awards, please visit varsitybrands.com.