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    Marine Corps Recruiting Station Nashville awards 2018 Semper Fidelis All-Americans

    Marine Corps Recruiting Station Nashville awards 2018 Semper Fidelis All-Americans

    Photo By Sgt. Mandaline Hatch | Katelyn Cartwright (left) and her mentor, Jana Perkins (right), hold their invitations...... read more read more

    NASHVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES

    05.18.2018

    Story by Sgt. Mandaline Hatch 

    6th Marine Corps District

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The United States Marine Corps is pleased to announce that Addison Coleman of Trinity Christian Academy in Jackson and Katelyn Cartwright of Hernando High School in Hernando, Mississippi, were selected as 2018 Semper Fidelis All-Americans to participate in the Battles Won Academy, July 12-16, in Washington D.C.

    “Just as the title of United States Marine is earned, never given, so is the title of Semper Fidelis All-American,” said Staff Sgt. John Harris, a Marine Corps Recruiting Sub-station Southaven recruiter.

    They were selected not only for their athletic performance, but also for their outstanding character, academic excellence and community leadership, which reflect the Marine Corps’ values of honor, courage, and commitment. They will attend with their mentors, Frank Clampitt, a coach at Trinity Christian Academy, and Jana Perkins, a coach at Hernando High School.

    The Semper Fidelis All-American Program, now in its second year, highlights 96 of the country’s top high school students who excel in academics and athletics while also bettering their communities and taking on leadership positions.

    Addison maintains over a 4.0 GPA and is the All-West Tennessee Football Defensive player of the year for having over 115 tackles including 16 for loss. On top of that, he volunteers as a Jackson Symphony Black Tie and Boxing ambassador, Juvenile Diabetes Research Fundraiser ambassador and junior weightlifting coach.

    Katelyn has a 4.3 GPA, and is the Mississippi Girls 5k Cross Country Champion for the 6A class division and Mississippi’s Gatorade Runner of the Year. She betters her community through service to her church and volunteering at a local retirement home. She leads in the Superintendent Youth Leadership Council, as the vice president of the student council and is a choir director for her church.

    This unique program separates itself from other programs by prioritizing young people who are fighting and winning battles every day. The participants are overcoming obstacles to not only improve their own lives, but also the lives of others.

    Addison and Katelyn have had to face their own life battles. Addison lost his dad to suicide when he was in the 4th grade and was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes going into 8th grade.

    “Life became a war, a war to fight every day in order to live,” said Addison. “These two battles have shaped my life."

    Katelyn has faced failure and adversity. During her sophomore year, she just about finished last in every race and placed 17th at the track state meet. Despite her shortcomings, she pushed harder to improve. When she finally won her first race, a news reporter told her she was lucky the other girls ran slow.

    “As Roy T. Bennett once said, ‘It doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down. All that matters is that you get up one more time than you were knocked down.’ His words are very inspirational to me,” said Katelyn.

    The 96 Semper Fidelis All-Americans and their selected mentors are brought together for the prestigious Battles Won Academy, an annual three-day event in the nation’s capital. They will participate in an immersive Marine Corps experience, a behind the scenes tour of Washington, D.C., and a community service project. They’ll also have the opportunity to network with a variety of influential speakers from all walks of life.

    “They have turned obstacles into victories and we look forward to continuing to honor their fighting spirit at the Battles Won Academy this summer,” said Sgt. Tracy Burford, a Marine Corps Recruiting Sub-station Jackson recruiter.

    The Battles Won Academy taps into the irreducible essence of the Marine Corps, which is the fighting spirit of every Marine. The essence of the Marines individually and collectively is the willingness to engage and the determination to defeat an opposing force – whether personal or on behalf of our nation and its communities.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 05.18.2018
    Date Posted: 06.05.2018 10:52
    Story ID: 277530
    Location: NASHVILLE, TN, US
    Hometown: HERNANDO, MS, US
    Hometown: JACKSON, TN, US

    Web Views: 102
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN