Pair of Seniors Honored as Top Graduating Athletes at WHS Awards Event
WATERTOWN — A pair of Watertown High School seniors were honored Wednesday evening as the top graduating athletes and recipients of the William I. Graf Award. Marra Dickinson was selected as the women’s recipient and Maddox J. Corey was named as the men’s honoree this year.
The Italian-American Civic Association established the William I. Graf Award in 1954 to honor Mr. Graf’s leadership and civic engagement in the community. The Northern New York Community Foundation was selected to help continue the Graf family legacy by administering an associated scholarship fund in perpetuity and raising awareness of the award for students who strive to earn the prestigious honor.
Mr. Graf was a multi-sport coach and athletic director at Watertown High School. Graf Award honorees are expected to have participated in at least two or more varsity sports in their senior year and demonstrate exceptional character and sportsmanship, discipline, fair play, training, athletic ability, and academics.
The Graf Award was first presented to both a male and female athlete in 1977; from 1954 to 1976 the honor was only awarded to the top graduating male athlete. From 1954 to 1979, the Graf Award was also presented to the top graduating athletes at Immaculate Heart Academy/Immaculate Heart Central.
About the recipients
Marra Dickinson is a dedicated three-sport varsity athlete who has competed on the Girls Varsity Swimming team for five years, beginning as an eighth-grade student. She has also competed as a varsity athlete in indoor track and field and lacrosse, and for one year in basketball.
Throughout her athletic career, she has earned recognition as a New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Scholar Athlete multiple times, consistently maintaining an academic average of 90 or above.
In swimming, Marra qualified for and competed in the Section III Class “A” Swimming Championships each year of her varsity career. She was selected as a Frontier League All-Star five times and earned multiple top-finalist finishes at both the Frontier League Championships and the Section III Class “A” Championships. Demonstrating strong leadership both in and out of the pool, she served as team captain during her junior and senior seasons.
In indoor track and field, Marra was a Sectional Meet Qualifier and State Meet Qualifier and a New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Scholar Athlete for two years.
On the lacrosse field, she was a Varsity Sectional Champion in 2025 and a two-year New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Scholar Athlete.
Outside of school, Marra was also an active participant on the Watertown Family YMCA Blue Sharks Swim Team where she competed in the Central New York League and qualified and participated at the New York State YMCA Championships. She also participated in the Watertown Rotary Club’s Swimathon.
Off the athletic field, Marra is a top-ranked honor student and two-year National Honor Society member. She has participated in numerous extracurricular clubs and activities, including the Watertown High School Booster Club and the WHS Elective Fair as a Spanish representative. Her community service includes volunteering with the American Red Cross and as a timer for the girls swimming and diving squad. Marra has been a consistent role model and well-respected mentor for younger students.
She has also maintained full-time summer employment for the past two years, serving as a lifeguard at and toll booth attendant Wescott Beach State Park.
Marra is the daughter of Mackenzie and Matthew Dickinson, Watertown. She will graduate this month with a New York State Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation. Marra will attend Hartwick College this fall, where she plans to study accounting. She aspires to become a Certified Public Accountant and return to her hometown to work, volunteer, and engage with the nonprofit community through board service.
Maddox Corey is an accomplished three-sport varsity athlete, competing in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field throughout his high school career. He has served as a two-year captain of all three programs, demonstrating exceptional leadership, sportsmanship, and dedication to his teammates.
A multi-year New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Scholar Athlete, Maddox has excelled both academically and athletically.
As a member of the Cyclones track and field program, he earned Frontier League All-Star honors and is the 2026 Section III Class A Pole Vault Champion. Entering the state qualifying meet as the top seed in the event, he established himself as one of the premier pole vaulters in Section III. Throughout his career, he has been a consistent scorer and leader for the Cyclones, helping elevate the success of the program while serving as a mentor to younger athletes.
In the classroom, Maddox has challenged himself with four college-level courses while maintaining an outstanding academic record. He is a two-year National Honor Society member and has earned recognition for academic excellence throughout high school.
Maddox’s leadership extends well beyond athletics. He serves as Senior Class President and President of the AV Club and is actively involved in the Rotary Club, Student Athletic Council, Whiz Quiz, and the Section III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Leadership Team. Through these organizations, he has represented both Watertown High School and Section III while advocating for student-athletes and helping strengthen school culture.
Outside of school, Maddox has maintained part-time employment for the past four years while dedicating countless hours to community service. He volunteers at youth track meets, youth running programs, and
elementary school events, serving as a role model and mentor for younger students.
Maddox is the son of Cortney Salisbury-Corey and Brett Corey. He will graduate this month with a New York State Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation. He will attend SUNY Cortland this fall, where he plans to continue his track and field career as a member of the Red Dragons pole vault program while pursuing a degree in athletic training or engineering.
More than 100 graduating high school seniors have received the Graf Award. An all-time list of William I. Graf Award recipients at Watertown High and IHA/IHC may be found at bit.ly/Graf-All-Time-26. Watertown High School’s athletics staff selects the recipients each year, and the Italian-American Civic Association presents the award.
Following the death of Mr. Graf’s son, William A. Graf, in 2013, the family decided to honor him by funding a scholarship award for recipients. William A. Graf, who also embodied the traits of the award, attended Watertown High School, and played several varsity sports coached by his father, William I.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.