Wednesday’s Scholar Athlete Awards Dinner, which features scholarships presented to area high school football players, will have a slightly different format this year. Instead of five regional awards and one larger overall award, only regional awards will be presented.

“Basically, we’re trying to spread out more money to the kids more equally,” said Ken Mills, dinner chairman. “We found generally that it is tough picking one grand-prize winner. We’ve had ties in the past, but it was just the feeling that it would be a better idea to spread the money around a little wider, more equitably. Tough economic times and all of that.”

This is the 47th year the Greater Baltimore Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame has sponsored the dinner at Martin’s West. Football players from Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford and Howard counties will be honored. The five winners, chosen from 88 nominees will share in $20,000 worth of scholarship money.

In addition to the scholarships, each of the state championship high school teams will be presented the Ben Eaton Sr. Championship Award, which honors the late Dunbar football coach. The area had all four state champs last fall: Old Mill in Class 4A, Frederick in Class 3A, Eastern Tech in Class 2A and Catoctin in Class 1A. Old Mill will be recognized with the A. Paul Menton Award as the highest ranked team in the chapter’s area.

For the first time a Courage Award will be presented to a player who has overcome substantial odds to continue his stellar academic success as well as his high school football career.

“The last few years, it’s come to our attention that there is usually at least one scholar athlete that has had a story of compassion, emotion if you will, just an example of a kid overcoming obstacles off the field typically that bear out recognizing because it’s remarkable that they’ve been able to continue on their path and do so well in spite of what they’ve had to deal with,” Mills said.

Johns Hopkins’ football team, which reached the NCAA Division III quarterfinals last fall, also will be honored.

Tickets are $60 per person and are available at 410-668-6901.

Stay tuned for a list of the nominees.