The National Federation of State High School Associations, or NFHS, named Brooklyn Wolthoff and Jayden Bailey as the 2026 recipients of the National High School Spirit of Sport Award. According to the organization’s official website, this recognition is for “individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts and represent the core mission of education-based activities.”
Wolthoff is a senior at Riceville Community High School in Iowa. She was an active dancer and cross-country runner before being diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and Ehlers‑Danlos Syndrome. These conditions made it impossible for her to conduct the activities she once enjoyed.
Worse yet, she also dealt with Neurological Functioning Disorder and used a stomach port to receive nutrition. While she may not walk normally, she still contributed by coaching her fellow speech team members and assisting in local blood drives. Wolthoff also volunteers by making tie blankets for families at the Ronald McDonald House. She is also active in her local church.
Meanwhile, Bailey received the NFHS Spirit of Sport Award for remaining a competitor despite dealing with osteosarcoma in his shoulder. This condition led to the amputation of his left arm, but he still competed in boys’ basketball for Tennessee’s Lebanon High School. While his fortitude kept him going, Bailey passed away last February, nearly four years after his initial diagnosis.
Along with the national recipient, four students and three performing arts educators were selected by the National High School Heart of the Arts Award Selection Committee as section winners.
Nominations for this award were generated through member state associations and reviewed by the NFHS National High School Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee. Wolthoff, Bailey, and the section recipients will be recognized June 26 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.