LAWNDALE, N.C. - Burns High School senior Zach Benfield knows the thrill of kicking the winning field goal on a football Friday night, but he gets a bigger thrill from volunteering at his old elementary school working with children who have learning disabilities.

"It's very rewarding because they give so much to me and this is my chance to give back to them," Benfield said. "Just being able to give back and seeing the impact that I'm making, it really means a lot."

One of the reasons Benfield serves as a peer tutor at Fallston Elementary is his desire to work with children as an adult.

"I've always had a passion for caring for children, " Benfield said. "And I want to be a pediatrician so I thought that going through FTA (Future Teachers of America) and getting these hours would help me find out if I do want to pursue this as a career."

In addition to serving as the kicker on the Bruins football team, Benfield plays soccer and tennis; and he's a part of Beta Club, Spanish Honor Society, and is president of the school's FTA chapter.

"He's very mature for his age," said Burns High School Athletic Director Chris White, who nominated Benfield for the Scholar Athlete Award. "He's got excellent parents, who were both in the education field."

Ranked No. 1 academically in his class, Benfield spends a lot of bus rides and late nights at home studying and getting homework done. Right now, he's weighing playing soccer at a smaller univeristy on a scholarship versus focusing on his academic career at a bigger school.