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PESH Student-Athlete Receives DCTF Inspirational Leadership Award

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Plano East student and football player Josh Palma earned a well-deserved win off the field on Wednesday, August 30, 2023.

The senior received Dave Campbell's Texas Football Inspirational Leadership Award and was presented the award during practice by DCTF and First National Bank of Omaha. Josh is among only 10 football players in Texas to earn the award.

josh palma with PESH principal, plano isd athletics director jeff smith, pesh head football coach tony benedetto, & DCTF

Pictured left to right: Plano ISD Athletic Director Jeff Smith, PESH Principal David Jones, PESH Head Football Coach Tony Benedetto, Award Recipient Josh Palma, representative from First National Bank of Omaha, PESH Assistant Principal Rob Eppler, and Clayton Hackler from Dave Campbell's Texas Football.

Josh was nominated by Head Football Coach Tony Benedetto. Josh's family moved to the United States from Panama when he was a child. He is part of the student senate at PESH and holds a 4.0 GPA. Josh was voted by his teammates into the Leadership Council as a Junior and a Senior. He held his teammates accountable by leading the wide receiver group during summer workouts, and ensuring that they were present every day. Josh has participated in several community service projects throughout the years. He has visited Plano ISD schools to mentor second graders, and delivered furniture through a program called 'Bedstart'. Josh also made sandwiches for the homeless through a program called 'Tango Tab' and volunteered with the 'Miracle Leagues of Frisco'.

"Leadership to me is doing the right thing at all times," Palma said. "Everything that I do is seen by someone else and everything I say can affect somebody. So I always try to say and do the right things to be a vocal leader."

"Josh is a great leader because he holds his teammates accountable and you never really see him have a bad day," said Benedetto. "He also understands his role. Last year, he was a backup wide receiver and alternated as a starter back and forth. That never bothered him."

"We at Dave Campbell's were just wowed with what Josh has done the last couple of years, it made the choice a no-brainer," said Clayton Hackler, DCTF Sales and Events Associate.

We are Plano ISD Proud of Josh for this honor!