Update: This past June, Jill moved into a new position as the head principal at Crestview Middle School in St. Louis, MO. She is honored to be the Principal of this nationally recognized school and hopes to prepare her students to be as well rounded as the other Heisman hopefuls and have one of them become a Heisman candidate someday. Jill is also a proud mom of three and, with her husband, spends a great deal of time just playing childhood games with their family. She is currently in the process of writing a book on Educational Leadership with a few authors around the country. Jill looks forward to learning more about ways to help leaders in the field of education provide the best opportunities for all staff and students.

What did winning the Heisman mean to you?

"There are no words to express how much the Wendy's HS Heisman has meant to me. As I grow older I begin to see how many wonderful people I meet through this program and hear about the different ways these candidates are changing the world around them to make it a better place. I continue to learn so much from everyone that is connected to this program and will do my best to ensure we stay connected so we can make a difference in the world."

What advice do you have for this year's finalist and their families?

"Don't sleep until you get on the plane to go home. Remember that there are so many people who helped play an important role in getting you where you are today and don't forget to thank them for this. Don't stop achieving: Get out there and find someone that you know you can share your experiences with, show them how to be excellent, dedicate time to making them become even better than you imagined yourself to be, and encourage this person to pay it forward to someone else too! It's never too late, even for parents!"

Jeremy Royal

Update: Jeremy is currently in his 4th (out of 5) year of Radiology residency at the University of Alabama-Birmington. He was recently elected Chief Resident for the 2010 calendar year. Also, Jeremy has accepted a 1 year fellowship in Musculoskeletal radiology at UAB/St. Vincents (which does the imaging for Dr. James Andrews' orthopedic surgery group). The fellowship focuses on elite sports medicine injuries as well as other pathology related to the musculoskeletal system. Jeremy was married almost 1 year ago to Dayna, who is a law professor in Birmingham, and they are the proud parents of a 9 month old cava-poo puppy named Peanut.

What did winning the Heisman mean to you?

"Winning the Wendy's High School Heisman not only was one of the greatest accomplishments of my life, but it also provided me with a network of incredible peers whom I feel lucky to call friends. It has felt like a family that continues to grow, and I feel lucky to be part of the program."

What advice do you have for this year's finalist and their families?

"I would advise this year's finalists to soak up every moment of Heisman weekend, and to try and keep in touch with the other finalists over the years to come because they provide an incredible network for the future."