Nearly a month ago, The Herald sports department solicited names from all the schools in our coverage area in order to recognize for the second consecutive year what we call our Dynamic Dozen.

Those selected are recognized for their achievement in three areas: community service, academics and athletics.

A year ago, 14 out of 18 school districts responded fairly well for the inaugural Dynamic Dozen, submitting nearly 60 names. So we were quite optimistic when the call went out for names this year.

We were dead wrong.

Only 10 student-athletes from five schools -- that’s right, 10 kids from five schools -- were nominated, forcing us to suspend the selection of a team for this year.

Quite simply, area educators proved to be "Dynamic Duds" this year when it came to nominating their kids for our Dynamic Dozen. And that’s shameful when all that’s necessary to do so is for an individual in a school district to take the time to compile information on a deserving youngster in order for that person to be recognized by us and his or her peers.

The Herald does a fine job recognizing kids for their athletic endeavors. The Heralded 22 and Fabulous 15 teams are examples of that. We also do an outstanding job on our news side of recognizing academic achievement and community service via our Academic All-Stars.

The Dynamic Dozen was instituted in hopes of combining the best of both worlds, recognizing those kids who excell in all three areas. And, really, aren’t these the kinds of kids we want to recognize?

So area educators, if you can, please explain the lack of interest and effort in helping us to help honor the best of the best.

Among those who did care enough to make that effort were teachers, coaches, guidance counselors or administrators from Hickory, Sharon, Lakeview, West Middlesex and Slippery Rock.

And among those 10 students were a trio of Hickory High kids who would have been strong candidates for Dynamic Dozen status this year. They included (with selected credentials):

Ed Likovich, Hickory