The latest HealthPlus/NY1 Scholar Athlete is a triple threat from Staten Island with a strong love for tennis, volleyball and swimming. NY1's Budd Mishkin filed the following report.

Patrycja Mika of New Dorp High School on Staten Island began practicing tennis at the age of 10. Today, she is a four-year varsity captain leading her team to success.

"I love tennis. When I go out, there there is something with the sport that just connects with me," says Mika. "I can do it all day and all night. I do it all season long."

"She's a role model to everyone on the team," says coach Margeau Okner-Rosado. "She strives to be the best she can. She is constantly looking to improve her play and help out the team in any way she can."

Mika's motto is "get every ball," a strategy that she says led her team all the way to the playoffs, something the high school hasn't seen in over 14 years. The standout senior is also a four year varsity volleyball player with a passion for swimming. If that weren't enough, she also began teaching soccer to developmentally-delayed kids in her community.

"When I found out there were disabled children who needed help, they wanted to learn - they loved soccer and needed to learn how to play soccer - I signed up right away," says Mika.

When Mika isn't on the court, she is hard at work in the classroom. She maintains a 98 grade point average and is involved in a host of extracurricular activities.

The senior also has a love of music. As a violin player, Mika auditioned for the Symphonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and scored big, playing twice for a packed house.

She says the desire to succeed keeps her going.

"The passion to be the best. I want to accomplish as much as I can," says Mika. "We're only here a short time and I want to do as much as possible."

"She's definitely an overachiever," says teacher Deborah Brown. "She gives 110 percent to everything she does. If something doesn't come out as she wants, she will do it over and over again until she gets it right."

Mika hopes to attend college and pursue a career in medical science, something that certainly hits close to home.

"My mom works in a medical office and helps other patients," she says. "When I see my mom do it, it makes me happy because I know she's bettering other peoples lives, and that's what I want to do."

So, for her ability to lead her team to success and give back to her community in a very special way, Patrycja Mika is the latest HealthPlus/NY1 Scholar Athlete of the Week.

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The Health Plus/NY1 Scholar Athlete program celebrates student athletes who successfully combine academics with athletics, and also find time for community service. The program, operated in conjunction with the New York City Department of Education, is open to any senior attending a New York City public high school.

Each week of the school year, a selected student is profiled on NY1 and receives a $2,000 scholarship to the school they choose to attend in the fall.

To apply, download and print out the official Scholar Athlete application, then mail it to the address on the form.