A lot of hopes and dreams will be fulfilled today when scores of area high school seniors take part in National Signing Day. It’ll signal the fulfillment of so much hard work — on and off the playing fields — for students and their parents.

The luckiest will have received full athletic scholarships. But just as many will sign for varying amounts of financial aid. All will sign binding letters of intent.

This is the second signing day, following last November’s early signing period that was dominated by men’s and women’s basketball signees.

This time football takes center stage. Signing high school football standouts is the highlight of the offseason. Coverage is so widespread and well entrenched in the national media, it’ll be hard not to be exposed to it in some manner today.

But that’s not the only sport in the spotlight. Field hockey, soccer, track and field, and cross country also begin their early signing periods today.

Greater Western Ohio Conference football signees will converge at the Huber Heights Athletic Foundation for a mass ceremony. The event will begin at 1 p.m. and is open to the public.

The Greater Miami Conference has moved its annual football signing ceremony to the Ronald Reagan Lodge at Voice of America Park in West Chester. That too will begin at 1 p.m. and is open to the public.

Many schools throughout the Miami Valley will hold similar events throughout today that will celebrate their students who are signing.