They all started out as standout student-athletes. Some became professional athletes, others politicians, a few became Olympians. But most have found a way to give back, either as coaches or educators.

The Hawaii High School Hall of Honor, which unveiled its first class in 1983, has a distinguished alumni, from Olympic gold medalist Bryan Clay (1998) to World Series champion Shane Victorino (1999) to Super Bowl participant Aaron Francisco (2001).

Today the elite list grows with the annual induction of seniors who achieved athletic excellence and other accomplishments.

The 12 include a player who led his school to state championships in basketball and boys volleyball and another who became a school’s first inductee.

Micah Christenson capped an astonishing year by helping Kamehameha win the boys state basketball and volleyball titles.

Off the court, Christenson has been part of a number of community activities from the United Cerebral Palsy Organization of Hawaii to Hanauma Bay cleanup to visiting with patients at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children.

The 6-foot-5 1⁄2 standout is headed to USC on a volleyball scholarship.

Pierce Murphy, a champion track and cross country runner, is Island School’s first inductee.

Joining them will be Molokai’s Kalei Adolpho, Punahou’s Chrissy Chow, Kamehameha’s Caprice Dydasco, Kamehameha’s Koa Kaai, Castle’s Leisha Liilii, Saint Louis’ Marcus Mariota, Kahuku’s Zhane Santiago, Kauai’s Shea Shimabukuro, Seabury Hall’s Kailea Tracy-Visintainer and Lahainaluna’s Maiki Viela.

They will be honored today at the Hall of Honor banquet at the Sheraton Waikiki.

The guest speaker will be Keith Amemiya, former executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association. Amemiya left an indelible mark on Hawaii high school sports and was a force for positive change.

His many achievements include the creation of classification for state tournaments, initiating a football state tournament, adding state tournaments, staging a nationally recognized football doubleheader featuring De La Salle and Long Beach Poly.

The Hawaii High School Hall of Honor was established in 1982 by Nissan Motor Corp. in Hawaii, Ltd., to recognize athletic excellence and accomplishments of Hawaii’s high school athletes. Since 2004, the program has been run by the Hawaii High School Athletic Association. The major sponsors this year will be the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Kaiser Permanente Great Aloha Run.

The 12 student-athletes are selected by an independent selection committee.