Penncrest drummer makes Army All-American band for bowl performance
MIDDLETOWN » Chris Jackson of Penncrest High School was officially selected as a 2018 U.S. Army All-American during a celebratory selection event at his school on Friday Sept. 22, joining an elite group of marching band members who will perform during halftime at the 2018 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. “Being a successful band member not only requires great skill, but also a commitment to teamwork,” said Mark S. Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for marketing. “To be an Army All-American requires students to excel musically and academically, but most importantly, as young people of character. The U.S. Army is proud to honor all of our talented 2018 U.S. Army AllAmerican Marching Band members and commend each of them on their selection to this elite group.”
The U.S. Army All-American Marching Band recognizes the top 125 high school senior marching musicians and color guard members from across the country. The All-American Bowl consistently draws an annual crowd upwards of 40,000 to the Alamodome and is the most-watched high school sporting event of each year, with 5.1-million viewers tuning in to last year’s broadcast. The bowl will be nationally televised live on NBC at noon CST on Saturday, Jan. 6.
For 18 years, the U.S. Army AllAmerican Bowl has been the nation’s premier high school all-star event and football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America’s future college and NFL stars. Odell Beckham Jr., Andrew Luck, Eric Berry, Tim Tebow, and Sam Darnold are just some who made their national debuts as U.S. Army AllAmericans. A total of 351 U.S. Army All-American alumni have been selected in NFL Drafts. Last year’s Bowl drew an all-time record crowd of 40,568 to the Alamodome.
For information on the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and its related events, visit www. usarmyallamericanbowl.com, www.goarmy.com/events/aab, and www.allamericangames.com. Connect with U.S. Army AllAmerican Marching Band activity on Facebook at www.fb.com/ USAAAMB or at the official Twitter (@AllAmericanBand) and Instagram (@allamericanband) accounts.