Local HS Student Up For Award Of Excellence

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- For years, the Marine Corps has used the slogan of "the few, the proud, the Marines."

But now a young man from Beaver County can consider himself one of very few in the country to be picked by the U.S. Army.

Something big was going on at Big Beaver Falls High School as the school's band was playing in an assembly.

A Major General from the army and pro-football hall of famer and four-time Super Bowl winner Lynn Swann showed up to honor Joe Dixon.

Dixon is a javelin thrower who was just named one of 10 finalists for the Award of Excellence.

"I am honored to have this award," Dixon, who is a senior at Beaver Falls High School, said.

Joe was selected for his athletic and academic excellence -- and is exactly the type of soldier the army would love to have.

"Both the physical prowess, in track and field, and athletic prowess," Maj. Gen. David Mann said. "He is exactly what we're looking for, to really reflect the values that we really embrace in the U.S. Army."

Hall of famer Swann says Dixon was picked for four years-worth of exceptional work.

"What we are looking for are students who are demonstrating an ability to be leaders, to focus and we all know that we can spike up for one moment to do something great," Swann said. "What we want to do, when we're talking about 10 kids in the entire country is to see that kind of consistency."

Dixon says he can't believe he was picked as one of the finalists out of more than 1,000 applicants.

"I initially got the E-mail in August, and then I read over the E-mail and didn't notice that I was going to Texas and was one of the 10 finalists, so I kinda cast it aside," Dixon said. "Then I sent it to my mom and I opened it again and I was like whoa."

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