Pope John senior is finalist for award

Quinn Muli, a senior at Pope John XXIII Regional High School, was named a Steve DiGregorio Young Man of the Year Award finalist.

Each year, every team in New Jersey’s Super Football Conference nominates one player for the award. The SFC represents the largest high school football conference in the country, with 114 public and nonpublic teams in seven counties.

The award highlights traits that were qualities of its namesake, Steve DiGregorio: community service, passion for learning and strength of character.

Selected as one of only seven finalists, Muli was nominated for his service in the Pope John and local community.

As part of the American Spirit Performers at Pope John, he dedicates his time to visiting nursing and veteran homes. Before each of the shows, Muli and the performers mingle and talk with the residents.

Laurie Lynch, a Pope John history teacher, wrote his letter of recommendation to the SFC.

“Quinn puts the scholar in scholar-athlete,” she said. “He is a unique personality that can combine the arts with academics and sports. He takes that same tenaciousness into everything he does. Everything he does is with a kind heart.”

All the finalists were invited to an award presentation at MetLife Stadium hosted by the New York Jets and Gatorade on Jan. 7. They visited the Jets locker room and received personalized plaques, personalized Jets jerseys, a signed Aaron Rodgers football and a $1,000 scholarship.

”It’s a massive compliment to be selected in the first place and getting to this point,” Muli said. “It means the world to me to see that the people around me think highly of me.”