At Polk County High School’s 2026 Underclassmen Awards Ceremony, one of the school’s most meaningful honors was presented to a student who has earned the respect and admiration of his peers and teachers alike.
Samuel Rhein, a rising junior and son of Wendy Rhein of Tryon, was selected as this year’s recipient of the Jason Fox Award – a distinction that carries with it a legacy of character, integrity and citizenship that stretches back more than three decades.
The award honors the memory of Robert Jason Fox, a Tryon native and Polk County Schools student who was a member of the first freshman class to attend the new Polk County High School when it opened in the fall of 1992. Early in his sophomore year, Fox was diagnosed with leukemia and was forced to withdraw from school for treatment. He passed away in early 1994.
In the time he walked the halls of Polk County High School, Fox left a lasting impression, remembered as a serious student, a good athlete and a young man of genuine integrity, humor and strong character. He was, by every account, an outstanding role model.
To honor his memory, an anonymous donor established the award to be presented annually to a sophomore student whose personal qualities reflect Fox’s own. Each recipient receives a citation designed by artist Julia Williams and a fox-head pin cast in sterling silver designed by renowned sculptor William Behrends, symbolizing the character Fox embodied.
It becomes the duty of each recipient to carry that memory forward with faithfulness and purpose.
In selecting Samuel Rhein, Polk County High School recognized a young man who has demonstrated those same qualities, and who now joins a tradition of students chosen to represent the very best of what it means to be a Polk County student.
