Director’s Pick -YM/MSgt Adrian Gandara Trimble Scholarship -YM/SSgt Cassandra L. Roaché Trimble Scholarship YM/MGySgt Dev R. Patel PFC Bruce W. Carter (FL) Miami Valley (OH) LCpl Caleb Powers (VA) YOUNG MARINES ESPRIT ONLINE 11 The Director’s Pick is YM/MSgt Adrian Gandara, 17, of Miami, Florida. Chosen to travel with the Young Marines to Guam and Iwo Jima,Adri- an is a member of the Pfc. Bruce W. Carter Young Marines under the command of Fred Brooks. Gandara is a senior at Miami High School. Gandara will join Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), National Execu- tive Director and CEO of the Young Marines; the six regional Young Marine of the Year, and the the two recipients of Jimmie Trimble Scholarships; adult volunteers and other dignitaries from Young Ma- rines headquarters. He joined the Young Marines at age eight, and currently, he is in his ninth year in the program. Gandara presents programs in local schools about living a drug free lifestyle. He won Top Ten in his lead- ership class for Young Marines, and he was his unit’s Young Marine of the Year. Outside of the Young Marines, he participates in water polo and wrestling. He is an avid mountain biker. This year, Gandara enlisted in the Marine Corps as part of the De- layed Entry Program.Two weeks after high school graduation, he will leave for boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. “I joined the Young Marines to better myself both physically and mentally,” Gandara said. “It’s made me a better person in my com- munity. Today I have discipline, and I show the utmost  respect to everybody.” He is the son of Lisbeth Colon and Raciel Gandara. YM/MGySgt Dev R. Patel, 17, was selected to receive the Jimmie Trimble Scholarship from the American Veterans Center. A resident of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Patel is a member of the Lance Corporal Caleb Powers Young Marines unit located in Fredericksburg, Virginia; unit commander is Stan Kennedy. “This scholarship is the culmination of all my efforts in the past six years,” Patel said. Patel joined the Young Marines in 6th grade at age 11. He most values the friendships he’s made in the program. Patel is a senior at Massaponax High School in Spotsylvania, Vir- ginia. He is ranked first in his class of 500 students. He has received dozens of awards and honors, among them are the Award for High Honors from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, the Academic Excellence Award (several times) in the Commonwealth Governor’s School, and the regional top score in the National Latin Exam. In addition, he is a first-degree Black Belt. After graduation, he plans to pursue a medical career in the military. He wishes to study medicine with an emphasis on neurology while participating in the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He would like to attend the University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins University or an Ivy League institution. He is the son of Rajesh and Vanita Patel. His sibling, Yash Patel, is a Private 1st Class in the Young Marines. “My love of serving others was bolstered by the Young Marines and the emphasis on community service,” Patel said. “As a result, I have spent more than 200 hours volunteering at a local hospital where I solidified my career path, all thanks to the Young Marines. I appreci- ate the Young Marine program for everything it has taught me. The mentors, the schools, and the environment have defined who I am as a person, and I am extremely thankful that I found the program.” YM/SSgt Cassandra I. Roaché, 18, was selected to receive the Jim- mie Trimble Scholarship from the American Veterans Center. A resi- dent of Troy, Ohio, Roaché is a member of the Miami Valley Young Marines unit located in Huber Heights, Ohio, Unit Commander is Keagan Miller. “YM/SSgt Roaché is an outstanding Young Marine,” said Bill Davis, National Executive Director and CEO of the Young Marines.“Her ul- timate goal is to play in the President’s Own Marine Band, and she will use her scholarship monies to pursue the strong foundation in music required.” Roaché joined the Young Marines in 7th grade at age 13. She most values the opportunities to bear witness to moments in other peo- ple’s lives that are significant.” “The Young Marines has helped me develop discipline, profession- alism and the qualities of a good leader,” Roaché said. Roaché is a senior at Troy High School in Troy, Ohio. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the Principal’s List all four years of high school. She is involved in many musical activities such as marching band, pep band, wind ensemble, musical pit orchestra and the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. In addition, she has received the Scholar Athlete Award for cross country, swimming and track and field. After graduation, she plans to major in music performance with the bassoon as her primary instrument. She will apply to Bowling Green State University or Wright State University, both in Ohio. She is the daughter of Maria Keyser and Mark Roaché, and she has two older sisters - Tachiana Spinola and Monique Spinola. Roaché’s grandfather served in the Marines during the Vietnam War. Honoring Our 2017 Director’s Pick • Jimmie Trimble Scholarship Recipients