How Bellefonte’s Hana Rados and Nolan Weaver earned Snyder Award recognition
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2022 Snyder Awards
The James H. Snyder Awards are given annually in memory of Snyder, a former Centre Daily Times sports editor who was killed in an automobile crash in December of 1957. Stories on all of Centre County’s Snyder Award winners will run together in print on June 12, after they’re all announced.
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Bellefonte had two seniors end their high school careers as Snyder Award winners Tuesday night.
Nolan Weaver and Hana Rados were named their school’s winners after excelling in academics, athletics and in their community.
Winning the award meant more to Rados and Weaver because of who they won it with.
“It just means the world to me,” Rados said. “It’s just so awesome. I’m glad that all the work I put in has come to this. ... Nolan is just a top tier guy. To be honored with this award with him means the world. He’s such a great guy. He loves his community, he loves his family and he loves his friends. To be next to him receiving this award means the absolute world and I’m honored to stand next to him.”
Weaver added: “I just feel extremely blessed by God. It’s a great honor to win this award. ... It’s a great honor because Hana is also a great athlete and an amazing person and a great servant of the community. She’s a very excellent scholar. It’s very humbling to be next to her winning this award.”
The James H. Snyder Awards are given in memory of Snyder, a former Centre Daily Times sports editor who was killed in an automobile crash in December 1957. The awards have become an annual county staple celebrating the community’s young leaders — a pair of seniors from each of the county’s five public high schools plus Saint Joseph’s who embrace academics, athletics and community service.
Rados played soccer, lacrosse and basketball as a Raider, and her experience with the lacrosse team as a senior stood out the most.
“The lacrosse season this year was absolutely phenomenal,” she said. “I would say it’s the best way to end our season. I just have the best memories from that and I just felt like the energy there was the most positive.”
Weaver wrestled, was on the track and field team and played football in his time at Bellefonte. His favorite athletic memory came on the gridiron when he helped his coach, Vaughn Donmoyer, get his first career varsity win.
“I think my favorite memory was winning the Philipsburg-Osceola game,” he said. “It was our head coach’s first varsity win and my first win as a senior. I scored two touchdowns that game and the team really came together. I really enjoyed that. It was a magical night.”
The Bellefonte seniors were active outside of athletics as well. Weaver volunteered as a firefighter and was secretary of the Spanish Honor Society, among other activities. His favorite off-field activity was his work with the fire department.
“It’s been a wonderful experience,” he said. “Just being there day-to-day with those guys has just been great.”
Rados spent her free time as a member of the Spanish Honor Society, with the academic decathlon team and working at The Pet Pub. Her senior year with the academic decathlon team is something that will always stay with her..
“With the academic decathlon, this was the first year in the entirety of the team that we went to states,” she said. “Being a part of that was absolutely magical. We did really well at districts, and just going to states was like a new experience. There was no sadness, it was all happy, it was all excitement. Everyone put so much effort into that and I feel like we had the most impact on the school’s legacy with that club.”
She’ll take those experiences with her to the University of Florida where she intends to major in marine biology. She chose that path because of the multiple options it presents her moving forward.
“I want to study marine biology and locate myself in Florida and do various studies on ocean life, oceanography, all that stuff,” she said. “Or, more simply, become a science or history teacher and just dedicate myself to school in order to help children or students learn and get themselves out there and better prepare them for the world.”
Weaver plans to attend Penn State and study international relations, along with enrolling in the ROTC. He wants to use the degree to potentially get a job in the government.
“They have the biggest ROTC program in the country,” he said. “That was one of the deciding factors and it’s close to home. Something like the FBI would be really cool to get into.”
Both winners were grateful for their time at Bellefonte and believe the school helped shape them into the people they have become.
“Bellefonte has brought out the best in me,” Rados said. “This year has definitely been one of the best years of my life. I feel like all of the teachers involved in this year showed me how to become myself and allowed me to become myself in different classes. As well as the coaches throughout the four years that I’ve been here, they’ve really allowed me to adapt and develop into the person I am today.”
“They’ve just given me every opportunity to do well in the community and my academics and athletics,” Weaver added. “I can’t thank the community enough for really facilitating all that I’ve done. I couldn’t have done it without them, or God or my family and friends.”
This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 10:08 PM.
