SEATTLE — While some high school athletes make substantial contributions off the field, they don’t often receive recognition for them. Such is not the case for three area students chosen to participate in the Seattle Seahawks Qwest Leadership Challenge last Sunday.

North Kitsap football player and stellar defensive specialist Jacob Snell represented the Vikings by participating in the challenge, which awarded the top two students from more than 90 high schools across the state with a $5,000 scholarship.

After completing 40 hours of volunteer work and a 500-word essay, each participant received a check for $500 to be donated to their charitable or volunteer organization.

Snell’s $500 will be donated to the Pee Wee football program.

For Snell, the Vikings’ defensive leader with 155 tackles this season, the decision to volunteer came before he even knew he was being considered for the challenge. Snell helped coach a Pee Wees Level “A” (14 and under) football team this past season.

“I started out volunteering and coaching Pee Wees,” Snell said. “One of the head coaches, Rob Johnson, and the flag football coach … were on the Internet, saw this thing and they told me about it. I said, ‘Yeah, enter me.’”

Athletes had to be nominated by another person to be considered for the honor. In all, more than 120 students were nominated, but around 90 actually accepted and completed the volunteer requirements of 40 hours for their organization.

Snell, along with the other chosen student athletes, was invited to the Seahawks 38-9 loss at home against Buffalo last Sunday. Snell’s day started with a morning leadership conference at Qwest Field hosted by Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke and NFL Hall-of-Famer Warren Moon. Snell said he was pretty excited to meet Moon.

“It didn’t hit you until, ‘Wow. I just met Warren Moon,’” Snell said. “I walked up to him and shook his hand and said a few words. I got his autograph and took a photo.”

During halftime, the students were acknowledged on the field. But regardless of the acknowledgment, Snell said the real reward for him was in coaching the younger kids.

“I’d get off of practice and go down there,” Snell said. “They’d ask me how practice went. The things I’ve learned over my nine years of playing they just ate up. I just told them as much as I could.”

North Kitsap coach Jerry Parrish has coached Snell during his NK career. He said Snell is a natural leader.

“One of the things that he was very involved with was our summer program, our conditioning program,” Parrish said. “He also got involved tutoring some of the freshmen and sophomores.”

And while Snell said watching the game was fun, he could think of one place he’d rather have been.

“It was awesome,” Snell said. “All the guys that were nominated went up and sat in a group. All the fireworks, it was real thrilling. I wish I could (have been) down there playing.”