Local Teen Awarded National Jimmy Trimble Scholarship

Young Marines Master Gunnery Sergeant Tyson Henry, 17, of Gilbert, Arizona was selected by the Young Marines, a national youth organization, to receive the Jimmy Trimble Scholarship from the American Veterans Center.

The honor will be bestowed during American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes awards banquet on Saturday, October 27, 2018 hosted by the American Veterans Center in Washington D.C.

Henry is a member of the East Valley Young Marines located in Mesa, Arizona. Henry joined the Young Marines in 7th grade at age 12. Today, Henry is a senior at Mountain View High School in Mesa, Arizona, where he is a Toro Link Leader, and he participates in baseball.

“The Young Marines has provided me with a pathway for the future,” he said. “Through the experiences that I have gained through this program, I have had the opportunity to explore various military avenues and career options. I have been able to create a plan for my future.”

In addition to a monetary prize, Henry is invited to escort WWII veterans to Guam and Iwo Jima next spring for the Reunion of Honor which, in 2019, is the 74th anniversary of the battles. He will join nine other youth members of the Young Marines as they travel to the island of Iwo Jima which is accessible only one day a year.

He was selected as Young Marine of the Year for his unit, battalion, and regiment. He received the Distinguished Order of Merit, and he is a graduate of the Junior, Senior and Advanced Leadership Academies. He has participated in the Pearl Harbor commemoration, Navajo Code Talkers Day, National Encampment, the Air and Space Academy, and the presentation of the Fulcrum Shield at the Pentagon. In addition, he attended the Marine Corps Summer Leadership and Character Development Academy.

The award is presented annually to only two Young Marines who exemplify the fine qualities of James "Jimmy" Trimble III. Trimble was a star athlete who passed up the opportunity to play professional baseball to first serve his country in the Marines. He died at age 19 on March 1, 1945, on Iwo Jima.

“Jimmy Trimble gave up professional baseball and many other offers to serve his country,” said Bill Davis, national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “We are grateful to the American Veterans Center for keeping his spirit alive and for allowing the Young Marines to play a key role in that effort.”

Henry plans to attend Arizona State University where he will major in Criminal Justice and participate in ROTC. Post college he plans to apply for OCS, Marine Corps.

He is the son of Dawn Henry.

“My family has served as a huge support of my participation in the Young Marines,” Tyson Henry said. “It has provided a common link for us.”

About the Young Marines

The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501c (3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through the completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

Since the Young Marines' humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to 270 units with 9,000 youth and 2,600 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Japan, and affiliates in other countries.

For more information, visit the official website at: https://www.YoungMarines.com.