West Chicago student is finalist for award

The U.S. Army and the Pro Football Hall of Fame recently announced that Tai Bibbs of West Chicago, a junior at West Chicago Community High School, is among the 20 high school athlete finalists for the U.S. Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for Excellence.

The program highlights the achievements of high school student-athletes across the country. Bibbs will be recognized during a ceremony at an all-school assembly at WCCHS Thursday, April 14, that will include a visit from a Pro Football Hall of Famer who will present the award.

A junior, Bibbs has played basketball all three years of his high school career and was named All-Conference this year in the Upstate Eight Valley Division, as voted on by the coaches in the conference. He is part of the first West Chicago boys basketball team in history to win a Conference Championship.

The Daily Herald named Bibbs to its All-Area Basketball Team and he was named one of the paper's "Starting Five."

Bibbs ran track freshman and sophomore years. A scholar athlete, Bibbs has been on the high honor roll his entire high school career.

Each of the 20 finalists reflect the Hall of Fame's values of commitment, integrity, courage, respect and excellence. All finalists will be honored in Canton, Ohio, during Enshrinement Weekend at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Each of the finalists will be provided with travel arrangements to participate in the weekend festivities, including the unveiling of the 2016 U.S. Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for Excellence winner.

The Award of Excellence Program is open to all sophomore, junior and senior level high school athletes in the United States. It focuses on athletic achievement combined with excellence in academics and community engagement.

For more information on the program, visit www.profootballhof.com/Army, or www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement.