Press Release – Teodoro “Teddy” Ozuna, from Early, attended the United States Marine Corps’ inaugural Battles Won Academy, July 13-16, 2017, in Washington, D.C.  Teodoro, a student at Early High School was selected from a pool of the top high school student-leaders in the country for the prestigious title of Semper Fidelis All-American and the offer to attend the academy. Teodoro is pictured at top, right.

 

The academy welcomed nearly 100 students named as Semper Fidelis All-Americans and their mentors from around the nation. Each student was selected not only for their athletic performance but for their outstanding character, academic excellence, and community leadership that reflects the Marine Corps’ values of honor, courage, and commitment.

The focus of the program is mentoring young men and women of character, empowering and inspiring them to overcome challenges in their own lives, in their communities and for their nation. Featured speakers included Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr.; ESPN Host Sage Steele; and soccer player Carli Lloyd; world champion wrestler Adeline Gray, and Gen. Glenn Walters, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.

The All-Americans and their mentors visited both Marine Corps Base Quantico and Marine Barracks Washington to watch an Evening Parade July 14. The next day they visited Under Armour headquarters to learn about the relationship between the corporate culture there and the Baltimore community, before joining in a community service project in partnership with 6th Branch. Later that evening the participants spent time with Ripken, Jr., before taking in the Cubs vs. Orioles game at Camden Yards. On the final day of the academy, the group ran through the National Mall on a scavenger hunt inspired by the battles Marines have fought and won throughout history before attending the capstone Battles Won Academy Banquet at the Capital Hilton’s Presidential Room.

The Battles Won Academy taps into the irreducible essence of the Marine Corps, which is the fighting spirit of the 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.

Imagery and video from the academy is available at https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/MCRC.

For individual All-American stories, follow https://www.facebook.com/SemperFidelisAllAmericans/.