The Meadows’ Leibowitz finalist for prep Heisman

Even on stage before a ceremony in his honor, Brett Leibowitz didn’t know what all the fuss was about.

It turned out the auditorium full of classmates, teachers and family had gathered to throw him something of a surprise party.

Leibowitz, a senior football and basketball player for The Meadows, was named one of 12 national finalists for the Wendy’s High School Heisman award Monday in an on-campus ceremony.

The award, to be given Dec. 14 in New York, honors high school seniors who excel in academics, athletics and community leadership.

Leibowitz, 18, and the other 11 nominees were chosen from a pool of more than 33,000.

“I knew I was a state winner but I didn’t know I was a (national) finalist,” he said. “I knew it was a possibility and knew it was the next step, but I had no idea I was going to get it, so it was really exciting.”

A camera crew from ESPN2 will be on The Meadows campus Wednesday to follow Leibowitz for a package to air Dec. 14 during the week of the college football Heisman Trophy presentation.

He will receive a trip to New York, where the male and female winners will be announced and Leibowitz will be presented a medal by two-time Heisman winner Archie Griffin.

In football, Leibowitz is a starting offensive guard and defensive end for the Mustangs, who on Saturday will play for their first Class 2A state title since 2001.

In basketball he is a starting center who helped The Meadows win state championships as a freshman and sophomore.

He is a co-captain in both sports.

But it’s in academics, where Leibowitz is taking 11 advanced placement courses this year alone, that he was able to become a finalist.

Leibowitz plans to study environmental engineering at California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology or an Ivy League school.

During this past summer, Leibowitz worked in eastern Russia as an intern for the Portland, Ore.-based Wild Salmon Center.

“I want to go into environmental engineering to help change the world into a better ecosystem, make it more inhabitable,” he said.

Leibowitz and a team of scientists conducted research along the Kol River in Kamchatka, Russia, to help conserve a wild salmon ecosystem vital to the rest of the world.

“Brett is really dedicated to everything he does,” said his mother, Deena Cooperman. “He’s really globally-minded. He goes out to make a difference in the world, and takes it very seriously.”

It’s the second time in three years The Meadows has had a national finalist for the award. Volleyball, basketball and softball player Cara Buchanan reached the plateau in 2006.

“That’s what’s great about The Meadows,” said football coach Frank DeSantis, who began his second stint at the school last year. “There are so many of our kids who are filled with arts, academics and athletics.

“Well-rounded person, that’s what Brett is. It’s a shame I’m only going to be around him for a couple years.”