The winners of the DAC Michigan High School Athlete of the Year award were also announced at the event. Of the 12 finalists announced at the Golden Mile on March 14th, Alisha Glass of Leland High School and John Schaefer of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School were given the award. The award is given to one male and one female athlete each year. The criteria used to select the winners include excellence in athletics, academics, and demonstrated citizenship through volunteer activities and leadership roles in their schools and communities.

The event was hosted by Steve Garagiola from WDIV with presentations by the March of Dimes Metropolitan Detroit Division Board Chairman and Chair of the Advertising, Public Relations, and Retail Department at Michigan State University Rick Cole, Dodge Vice President and Vice Chair of the March of Dimes Metropolitan Detroit Division Ray Fisher and Detroit Athletic Club President Glenn Smiley.  Dick Vitale delivered a special message to the athletes praising their accomplishments and advising students that strong family support is integral to their success. Lifetime Achievement Award-winner Dave Bing also spoke to the students reminding them of the importance of academic achievement in conjunction with athletic pursuits.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.