The Pleasant Valley School Board recognized some outstanding students at its meeting Thursday night for their successes.

“Tonight, we wanted to share with the board some great news about one of our varsity football players, Oluwafeola Olaniyan, better known by his teammates and fellow students as Fella,” said Co-principal Brian Boylan. “On Sunday, March 5, 2023, he was the first ever PV student athlete to be awarded a scholarship from the National Football Foundation Lehigh Valley Chapter.”

The Lehigh Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame held a banquet event on March 5 at Best Western Hotel and Conference Center in Allentown. One senior athlete from 34 high schools and three colleges represented their teams at the event.

The high school teams included local teams Lehighton, Jim Thorpe, Palmerton, Northern Lehigh and Northwestern. The colleges included East Stroudsburg University, Kutztown University and Moravian College.

Olaniyan is an outside linebacker and fullback, said co-principal Jonathan Ayres. He ranks in the top 3% of his class, is an honor roll student, member of the National Honor Society, treasurer of the Key Club, and a Red Cross Blood Drive host. He is also vice president of the Future Business Leaders of America, where he is a state qualifier in the Supply Chain Management test.

“He is a phenomenal leader,” said Denise Hopely, the adviser for the FBLA.

The school board also recognized the March students of the month. They include Trinity Pope, kindergarten; Cole Costenbader, first grade; Jamir Williams, second grade; Zoey Goff, third grade; Ashlyn Borger, fourth grade; Kolton Meckes, fifth grade; Alexandra DePalma, sixth grade; Brooke Burke, seventh grade; Madison Cerrone, eighth grade; Briannah Aylsworth, ninth grade; Abigail Dominick, tenth grade; Sarah Holmes, eleventh grade; and James Rosa, twelfth grade.