To qualify for WIAA Scholar Athlete recognition, a nominee must have earned at least four varsity letters through the first half of his/her senior year and must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Senior Athletes that meet these requirements are selected an then voted on by the head coaches of each sport, the athletic director, and the principal. The male and female with the most votes represents Ellsworth High School as our Scholar Athletes in the Middle Border Conference.

In Addition to local awards, 32 of the more than 700 students nominated each year are selected for statewide recognition. Four boys and four girls in each of four WIAA divisions are honored at a ceremony held on the first Sunday of May each year in Wausau.