In the past 10 years, we’ve heard some amazing stories of high school seniors’ work in the classroom. But it doesn’t stop there. Today’s kids often are multitasking, project-oriented students who strive to achieve academically and position themselves to succeed professionally.

We’re teaming up with an equally impressive group of sponsors to bring the 11th annual Students of Distinction program to our community, and it starts with the nomination and application process.

Principals at Peninsula School District high schools received information packets earlier this month for seven categories — Academics, Athletics, the Arts, Business and Entrepreneurs, Community Service, Overcoming Adversity, and Science and Technology — and they will be encouraging students to apply, or for anyone else to nominate someone.

If you know about a senior at Gig Harbor, Peninsula or Henderson Bay high schools who excels in one of those areas, please consider filling out a form to bring their name forward to the school district. A team of administrators will select as many as 36 Students of Distinction, and we’ll begin to profile each of one of them next month with stories in the paper.

You’ll get to read about students who have perfect grades and have taken multiple advanced-placement classes. Or some who have started their own business, or contributed hundreds of volunteer hours for a nonprofit organization.

There may even be stories of personal triumph when all hope appeared to be lost.

These stories help to tell the fabric of our community. They are future leaders who strive to achieve.

And, yes, there’s even a little bit of scholarship money in it for them, thanks to our sponsors, Umpqua Bank, Olympic Property Group, Franciscan Health System, Peninsula Light Company, the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation and Kitsap Credit Union. Combined, we’ll be able to award more than $10,000 in post-secondary scholarships.

This year’s Students of Distinction will be honored along with our Alumni of Distinction during a community banquet on May 15 at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church. Tickets will become available this spring.

In the meantime, you can get an application form at either of the three high schools, or by sending me an email request. But do so quickly, because the forms are due back at the students’ respective schools by the end of February.

I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in nearly every year of our Students of Distinction program, yet I continue to be blown away by the students each year because of the quality of their work.

They deserve to be recognized as stars in our community.

Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 253-358-4150 or by email at brian.mclean@gateline.com. Follow him on Twitter, @gateway_brian.