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"Cradle of Astronauts" recognized at Honors Dinner

Astronauts and athletes shared the stage in grand fashion at the Purdue Memorial Union Ballrooms in mid-June of 2011 during the NFF Honors Dinner "Celebrating Our Legends VII," sponsored by the National Football Foundation's Joe Tiller Chapter of Northwest Indiana. 

The June 16th event drew a crowd of 625 as it focused on one of America's best-known academic traditions, the "Cradle of Astronauts," along with some of Purdue's most famous football alumni. 

Representing the astronauts were the first and last men on the moon, Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan, along with the man, Jerry Ross, who has been launched into space a record nine times. All three are Purdue alumni and are among 22 former Boilermakers who have been selected to fly in space. They received the chapter's prestigious Gold Medallions from Chapter President Bart Burrell. 

The Gold Medallion recognizes people with close ties to the region who are outstanding Americans, having achieved significant career success while demonstrating integrity and honesty and bringing recognication to the region covered by the NFF chapter. 

The athletic awards included the announcement of Alex Hegg of Seeger Memorial High School as the chapter's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The award is based on academics (40%) and athletics (40%) along with community service, leadership and citizenship (20%). Hegg was valedictorian of the senior class at Seeger after being a three-year starter as offensive and defensive lineman and an all-conference performer. He was one of 24 scholar-athletes nominated by their schools from among the 73 football-playing high schools in the 18-county region. 

The event was co-sponsored by Beck's Hybrid Seeds and Delta Delta Chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity at Purdue. 

Drew Brees, the All-Pro quarterback of the New Orleans Saints who was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year for 2010, attended the Honors Dinner for the seventh consecutive year and presented the Brees Mental Toughness Award to Purdue's consensus All-America defensive end Ryan Kerrigan, the first round draft choice of the Washington Redskins. 

The chapter's Distinguished American Award was given to another Purdue All-American, College Football Hall of Famer Leroy Keyes, who retired earlier this year from the Boilermaker athletic staff, where he was an assistant director in the John Purdue Club and served as assistant football coach under head coaches Jim Colletto and Joe Tiller. 

Former chapter award winner and board member Bernie Flowers was remembered during the opening ceremonies in a tribute by Head Coach Emeritus Tiller during the program for his tireless efforts in building up the chapter's memberships and sponsorships. The Tiller Chapter is now the second largest chapter in the country (among 120 chapters). Flowers, an All-America receiver for the Boilermakers in 1950-52, died unexpectedly in April. 

The chapter renamed it's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football in honor of Flowers and presented it to Jon Speaker and Lane Custer for their efforts in starting a youth football program in West Lafayette called West Side Flag Football, which provides introductory level football for hundreds of young children in Tippecanoe County. 

Also for the first time, The Tiller Chapter presented its Citizenship Award to a graduating university player in the region who has exhibited exceptional community service, leadership and character while in college. Kyle Adams, a Purdue tight end, who led numerous mission trips to Haiti and was a two-time recipient of the Kiwanis Service Award, won the award. 

The five other finalists for the prestigious Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award were Jesse Dority of Clinton Prairie High School, Sam Ficken of Valparaiso, Spencer Murphy of North Miami, Kyle Patton of West Lafayette and Dustin Rivich of Michigan City. 

The six finalists were chosen from a field of 24 scholar-athletes who were nominated earlier this year by their schools from throughout the 18-county region of Northwest Indiana. The announcement was made Mar. 6 at the chapter's Scholar-Athlete Banquet at Valparaiso University's Harre Union Ballroom. Each nominee receives scholarship assistance from the NFF. 

Besides the six scholar-athlete award finalists, the 18 other high school football players nominated this year were: Austin Atherton (Crown Point), Jonathan Bush (Carroll), Keisten Childers (Knox), Cody Christopher (Lafayette Central Catholic), Arion Clanton (East Chicago Central), Austin Colby (Kokomo), Daniel Falloon (Munster), Tyler Hanson (River Forest), Brant Hartman (Caston), Tanner Hess (Logansport), Garrett Howe (Twin Lakes), Justin Hunt (Maconaquah), Derek Mumaw (Northwestern), Alex Niccum (McCutcheon), Kramer Phalen (Lake Central), Tanner Pierce (Fountain Central), Joel Ripke (Lafayette Jefferson) and Alec Stuard (Frankfort). 

The cumulative grade point average of this year's 24 nominees was 3.67 (equated to a 4.0 scale) and many of the young men were named to all-conference, all-region and all-state teams. 

Including this year's distribution, the Tiller Chapter has recognized 122 scholar-athletes and awarded them between $250 and $5,000 each for a seven-year total of $130,000. In addition to the scholarships, the local chapter is involved with youth football programs such as the Tippecanoe Football Camp/Dream Season (providing experiences for young people with disabilities) and the Lafayette 56ers, Attica Youth Football, Little Gridiron, and West Side Flag Football, providing opportunities for elementary school-aged players in the area. 


Gold Medallion recipients Neil Armstrong, Jerry Ross and Eugene Cernan exchange stories with former Purdue quarterback Drew Brees.


The cumulative grade point average of this year's 24 scholar-athletes nominees was 3.67. Alex Hegg of Seeger Memorial High School walked away as Scholar-Athlete of the Year.


Former Purdue tight end Kyle Adams became the first recipient of the Citizenship Award for his exceptional community service, leadership and character as a Boilermaker


Purdue All-American and College Football Hall of Famer Leroy Keyes received the Distinguished American Award. After his playing days, Keyes returned to the Boilermaker athletic staff, where he was an assistant director in the John Purdue Club and served a