Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has been named the 2007 Downtown Pittsburgh YMCA's Person of the Year.

Polamalu was elected for what was called his strength in spirit, mind and body and for his support of the YMCA's core values, which includes caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.

Polamalu will be honored at the YMCA's Annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet on May 31 at the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel. The banquet also will honor 100 scholar-athletes from Western Pennsylvania High Schools.

"It is a great honor to be recognized by the YMCA, whose support of children, families and communities is of particular importance to me," said Polamalu. "The true champions of this event, however, are the students being recognized for their accomplishments as scholar-athletes. Their academic and athletic achievements and commitment to working to strengthen their communities are an inspiration to all of us."

The banquet benefits the Downtown YMCA's Strong Communities Campaign and Activate Pittsburgh Initiative, which funds after-school programs and provides memberships to those who can't afford the YMCA fees.