RALEIGH — Ravenscroft High School senior Jennifer Howard is a winner. She has been a four-year starter on a team that has made it to four straight Independent school state championship games.

Howard averages 22 points a game, but her coach, Ned Gonet, says she is a player who does it all.

"She can score, she can pass, she can deliver the basketball and plays tenacious defense for us," he says. "She is a very competitive girl. She has a grit that helps her to compete at a level that makes us successful.

"The bigger the game, the tougher the competition, the better she seems to play," he says.

"I just have a drive in me to compete, and I love to compete. It's something that I live for," Howard says. "I think that competitive nature makes me want to perform at my best."

Off the court, Howard is a honor student. She was also twice-named by the Ravenscroft faculty as the school's most outstanding student.

"It is all about managing your time, and I learned to manage my time well. I think sports has helped me to be a better student because of time management," she says.

Ravenscroft teacher Marcia Jones says Howard is always dedicated in everything she does.

"She always brings her best, and she conducts herself with grace and composure with everything she does," she says.

Jennifer Howard is this week's winner of the Extra Effort Award. Tom Suiter's Extra Effort award airs Wednesdays during WRAL's 6:00 News.

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