Chestnut is recipient of GGCC's Putnam County Senior Student Athlete of the Year Award.

The Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce presented its 2012-13 Putnam County Male Senior Student Athlete of the Year Award on Friday to South Putnam's Ryan Chestnut. The award is presented annually to the high school senior who best exhibits qualities in academics, athletics and leadership. Winners receive a plaque and a $250 scholarship, presented by the GGCC and the Teacher's Credit Union. Chestnut was chosen ahead of nominees from Cloverdale, Greencastle and North Putnam. Students are nominated by their coaches and athletic directors, then a winner is chosen by a committee of five. Chestnut, shown with GGCC representatives Pam Lage and Scott Herrick, lettered in four varsity sports, including football, basketball, baseball and track and field. He is the student body president at South Putnam High School and has been received the Mark Wildman Leadership Scholarship, All-Wabash Valley Academic Team. Chestnut is a 10-year 4-H member, a member of the Church of Christ and is an honor student. This past season he was a captain on the football, basketball and track and field teams. He has been a state finalist in the shot put and been named to numerous all-state, all-region, all-county and all-conference football teams. He also set SPHS records for sacks in a season, sacks in a career and career wins. The female student athlete of the year award will be presented next week. (Banner Graphic/LAUREN BOUCHER)