Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE @ProFootballHOF 11/16/15 U.S. ARMY AND PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCE 2016 AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE PROGRAM ACCEPTING NOMINTATIONS FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES TO BE HONORED DURING 2016 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND CANTON, OHIO – The U.S. Army and the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced today the fourth year of their partnership for the national U.S. Army – Pro Football Hall Award for Excellence. The program is currently accepting nominations. The Award for Excellence program recognizes 20 outstanding high school student-athletes who will be chosen as finalists based on their excellence in academics, athletics and community service. “Athletes and Army Soldiers have a common mission: Win. Both Soldiers and student-athletes have the training and agility to tackle some of the toughest challenges,” said Mark Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for marketing. “This program recognizes student-athletes not only excel athletically and academically, but they are leaders in their communities, strive to be the best and adhere to a core set of values that set them up for life-long success.” “The Pro Football Hall of Fame is pleased to renew our partnership with the U.S. Army for another year,” said George Veras, executive vice president, chief revenue officer and executive producer for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “We look forward to further expanding our relationship to continue to offer such meaningful programs like the Award for Excellence.” Each of the finalists will be honored during an event at their high school, highlighted by a Pro Football Hall of Famer presenting them with their finalist plaque and discussing the importance of excellence and what it has meant during their illustrious careers. The following “Gold Jackets” (living Hall of Famers) have participated in Award for Excellence ceremonies during the first few years of the program: Michael Irvin, COMMITMENT INTEGRITY COURAGE RESPECT EXCELLENCE Jerome Bettis, Joe DeLamielleure, Marshall Faulk, Darrell Green, Bob Griese, Mike Haynes, Floyd Little, Anthony Muñoz, Barry Sanders, Art Shell, Lynn Swann, and Rod Woodson. In August, all 20 finalists will convene in Canton, Ohio, for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement weekend. The finalists will be honored throughout the weekend and the winner will be selected during a luncheon with Hall of Famers on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016. The 2016 Award for Excellence winner will also be recognized during the NFL Hall of Fame Game, NFL’s preseason opener. “This program celebrates excellence everywhere,” said David Baker, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s president and executive director. “The Pro Football Hall of Fame is privileged to join the U.S. Army in recognizing these great students who exemplify the same values as our Gold Jackets and who make the future of our country so promising.” The Award for Excellence program is open to all sophomore, junior and senior high school student-athletes in the United States. Also, as part of the U.S. Army and Pro Football Hall Fame partnership, Hall of Famers Shannon Sharpe and Tim Brown will serve as honorary coaches on the sidelines of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl played at the San Antonio Alamodome on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016. More information on the Award for Excellence program, including an application for interested student-athletes, can be found at: goarmy.com/AAB or profootballhof.com/award-for-excellence. The deadline to submit nominations is January 15, 2016. About Pro Football Hall of Fame Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s mission is to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values and Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE. For more information, please visit ProFootballHOF.com; @ProFootballHOF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Army Marketing and Research Group The Army Marketing and Research Group (AMRG) is the U.S. Army’s national marketing, marketing research and analysis and accessions analysis organization. The AMRG develops innovative and effective ways to: connect with the American public and make the Army more accessible and understood; increase awareness of both the benefits and value of Army service; and motivate the most qualified candidates to choose the Army as their service of first choice. CONTACTS: COMMITMENT INTEGRITY COURAGE RESPECT EXCELLENCE Pete Fierle Vice President of Communications, Pro Football Hall of Fame [email protected]; 330-588-3622 Jane Scrivner Account Supervisor, McCann Worldgroup [email protected]; 952-346-6336 # # # COMMITMENT INTEGRITY COURAGE RESPECT EXCELLENCE .