On May 21st, 2019, three members of the Carry-On Detachment #1236 attended the Awards Presentation ceremony for the graduating seniors of Princeton High School. They were there to present the first Johnston County Marine Corps League Scholarship of $500 to Garrett W. Klein. The scholarship was offered to all the high schools in Johnston County and Garrett met and exceeded all requirements and expectations of our Scholarship Committee.
Garrett has a GPA of 4.34 (weighted) and 3.96 (un-weighted) and ranked 6th in a class of 128. He was a participant in the Future Ready Course of Study and the High Honors Diploma Pathway.
Garrett’s activities include football (9,10,11,12) of which he was named captain his senior year. Also basketball (9,10,11,12) tennis (9,10,11), student ambassador(10), student council representative (9,10,11), student pep club(10,11), class secretary (11), Fellowship of Christian Athletes (9,10,11,12), First Priority (11,12), National Honors Society (10,11,12), Prom Committee (11), and Find Your Grind School Representative (11).
Garrett’s Awards and Honors include the Golden Ruler Award (10), Principal’s List (9,10,11), Student of the Month (10), Outstanding Academic Achievement, Chamber of Commerce (11), and Student Marshal (11).
Garrett’s work experience included lawn maintenance and pressure washing during the four years of his high school term while also volunteering as an Assistant Coach of 12U Girls Basketball (2015), Princeton Little League Football Camp (2015-2018), Bridge Serving Meals for the Homeless (2015-2018), and a Mission trip to New York City in 2018, known as the Medici Project.
Each student that applied for this scholarship was required to write a short essay on why he/she felt deserving of this scholarship. The following is Garrett’s essay:
“It has been my good fortune to have grown up in a family with a military background and in a neighborhood with a high percentage of active duty military personnel. Serving my country through being active in the Armed Forces has become very important to me. In searching for a college/university that would support this interest as well as my interest in mechanical engineering, I narrowed my choices to Campbell University, the Citadel and the Virginia Military Institute. After visiting all of the schools and having been officially accepted at all three schools, my choice is The Citadel. The rigorous military atmosphere and the challenging engineering program fit perfectly into my long-range career plans.
Family is very important to me. It is my goal, over the next few years to prepare myself for a career, first in the military, then as a civilian, that will allow me to support my family and provide opportunities for them. A degree in mechanical engineering can lead me to many opportunities in the Armed Forces as well as civilian life. I find this field fits my passion and intellect when it comes to math and science. I enjoy problem solving and working to advance things that will improve the lives of others. I also desire to develop my leadership skills so that I may successfully transition as an officer into the Armed Forces upon graduation. The Citadel’s rigorous leadership program will give me the opportunity to develop these skills while obtaining and exceptional education.
As a North Carolina resident, The Citadel requires out of state tuition which doubles the cost of what in state residents are required to pay. Receiving your scholarship will be a great help in decreasing, for me and my family, the financial burden of attending The Citadel.
Thank you for offering the Johnston County Marine Corps League Scholarship and for considering my application.”
As Garrett mentioned in his essay, he comes from a family with a long military tradition. His father served in the US Air Force, his grandfather in the US Navy and his great-grandfather in the US Marine Corps.
Garrett W. Klein is very deserving to be the first recipient of the Johnston County Marine Corps League Scholarship and it was our honor to be at the ceremony to give it to him.
