Lynch, the Buccaneer Pro Bowl safety, and his wife rewarded some of the best and brightest student-athletes from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties at the second annual Salute the Stars luncheon Thursday at Higgins Hall at St. Lawrence Catholic Church.

In conjunction with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the Lynches, with help from Bucs coach Tony Dungy, offensive lineman Randall McDaniel and quarterback Shaun King, honored students for their work on and off the field.

Sarah Edwards from Durant High School and Michael Latimer from Plant City were the Lynch Family Legacy Scholarship winners. Each received $5,000 to go toward their college expenses.

Edwards, a member of the Cougars' track and soccer teams with a 5.0 weighted GPA, touched the Lynches with her essay on the challenges of being a single mother.

Latimer, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' Man of the Year in 1998-99, compiled a 5.43 weighted GPA in addition to his involvement with the football, track and wrestling teams.

Other award recipients were Star of the Year winners were Crystal Williams and William H. Bergen from Young Middle School, Elizabeth Raburn from Plant City High and Aaron Paoulek from Seminole High; and athletes with disabilities honorees Adrian Wilkes and Jessica Burkman (middle school winners) and Logan Pennypacker and Liz Fink (high school winners).