Local Teen Awarded Scholarship By The American Veterans Center

Young Marines Master Sergeant Kirk Meldrum, 17, of Lapeer, Michigan, was selected as the winner of the Jimmy Trimble Scholarship from the American Veterans Center.

Meldrum will escort WWII veterans to Guam and Iwo Jima next spring for the Reunion of Honor which, in 2021, is the 76th 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.

“Being awarded the Jimmy Trimble Scholarship is a great honor,” Meldrum said. “It feels like a healthy step in the right direction of my future.”

He is a member of the Lapeer County Young Marines located in Lapeer, Michigan, under the command of Jeff Oke. Meldrum joined the Young Marines when he was nine years old and today, he is 17 and a senior being home schooled.

The award is presented annually to 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 despite many other offers, he remained focused on serving his country and remaining in combat,” said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), 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.”

Meldrum was named Iron Mike at the Advanced Leadership School. He has been the Young Marine of the Year for his unit, battalion, and regiment. In addition, the Daughters of the American Revolution presented Meldrum an award for being an outstanding individual in the community.

“The best part about being a Young Marine is the opportunity to make a difference in kids’ lives,” he said. “It’s important to set younger Young Marines in the right direction from the beginning and helping them be respectful and drug-free.”

Following high school, Meldrum may join the Navy for diving. He hopes to have a career in diving and live on the coast.

He is the son of Rhonda and Tom Meldrum, and his brother Kyle is a Gunnery Sergeant in the Young Marines. Meldrum’s grandfather served in Korea, and his great uncle served in Vietnam.

About the Young Marines

The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501(c)(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 over 235 units with 8,000 youth and 2,500 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Japan and affiliates in a host of other countries.

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