2024 W.B. Hawkins Awards Presented at Everwise Bi-County Tournament
Caden Large and Jayden Flagg were honored at the 59th annual event for their excellence in academics, athletics, and community involvement.
Everwise presented the coveted W.B. Hawkins Award, named in honor of Everwise President and CEO from 1962-1987, to two high school basketball players at the conclusion of the 59th annual Everwise Bi-County Tournament this evening. The Everwise Bi-County Tournament is one of the area’s oldest sports traditions with eight boys and girls varsity teams squaring off in their quest for the title. In addition to the excitement on the court, Everwise annually presents the W.B. Hawkins Award and a $1,000 scholarship to the school of the boys and girls varsity athlete who exemplifies excellence in academics and athletics, as well as makes positive contributions to the community.
Everwise is pleased to announce that the 2024 W.B. Hawkins Award winners are Caden Large, from Triton Jr.-Sr. High School and Jayden Flagg, from New Prairie High School. Both recipients embody the values that the W.B. Hawkins Award represents, and each has excelled in their high school careers.
“The Everwise Bi-County Tournament has become an institution in our area that provides a wonderful way to celebrate our local student athletes and the communities that support them,” said Jason M. Osterhage, president & CEO of Everwise. “We’re honored to recognize this year’s winners of the W.B. Hawkins Award, as our two recipients truly embody the qualities that the award represents. We’re also pleased to have the opportunity to provide support to each winner’s school scholarship fund through this award.”
Large displays teamwork, competitiveness, sportsmanship, and leadership in everything he does. He constantly works to improve himself and has received the Coach’s award multiple times in basketball, track, and cross country. On the tennis court, he was the team MVP and Academic All-Conference. In addition, he has a 4.130 GPA, is ranked first in his class, and is involved in many clubs such as the National Honor Society and the Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy. Large also plays a tremendous role in his community including service with Blessings in a Backpack, Cultivate Food Rescue, Feed My Starving Children, Camp Creek Youth Group, and Miller’s Merry Manor. He has raked his church yard, kept books for basketball games, sold concessions, picked up trash at football games, and he even plays the piano at church.
Flagg is a natural leader both on and off the court. She knows that success can only come from hard work and commitment, and she leads by example. She is competitive and has gained the trust of her teammates to take a major role in her school’s basketball program. Flagg is a leader off the court as well, serving as a member of the National Honor Society. She is a great example of a servant leader and constantly looks for opportunities to make herself and those around her better. Flagg volunteers with the girls’ basketball program during New Carlisle Hometown Days and volunteers at their youth camps and clinics teaching young girls how to play basketball. She also works with HOSA – Future Health Professionals to assist with heart screenings at various local heart foundations, and volunteers at Santa’s Workshop through the National Honors Society.