TAMPA – Fifteen year old, John-Henry Noel Marley, Jamaican born and resident of Tampa, Florida will join the millions of visitors expected to attend the historical Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, next Tuesday (Jan. 20) in Washington, D.C.
A high achieving student of King High School International Baccalaureate Program (IBP) in Tampa, John-Henry has a GPA average of 4.0 and was one of several scholars selected by the US Congressional Youth Leadership Council and National Youth Leadership Forum to share in the historical event.
John-Henry Marley
He departs for Washington on Saturday (Jan. 17) and his four-day whirlwind experience will expose him to several inauguration events. He expressed pride as he talked about the moment in history where he will witness the inauguration of the first US President of African American descent, Barack Hussein Obama and Vice President, Joseph Biden. He returns home on Wednesday (Jan. 21).
In an interview with JIS, John-Henry was excited as he talked of his anticipated visit to the nation’s capital where the team of youth scholars have been exclusively invited to also attend the Black Tie Gall Inaugural Ball, the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference, conference debates and other educational activities. During these events, they will meet with fellow inaugural scholars, national and international journalists, Congressional staff and other political experts.
He felt that this unique experience would give him an opportunity to witness the responsibilities of leadership at the same time participating in the historical event, the presidential inauguration.
His love of history, particularly in the war years, has spurred an interest in global politics and he intends to pursue a career in law and global politics. So he is looking forward to his trip where he will share conference platform with former US Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, also a Jamaican national; Former Vice President of the USA, Al Gore; and Nobel Peace Prize winner and Human Rights Activist, Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Through his accomplishments in the IBP, John-Henry was selected among 40 delegates chosen nationally by the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) to be youth ambassadors to Europe during summer 2008. The 19-day visit will include highlights of the Continent throughout three countries – Spain, France and England.
A high achiever, John-Henry also excels in athletics, having participated at competitive levels in karate and varsity football. With an interest in music, he also plays the bassoon, trumpet, clarinet and bass guitar.
John-Henry has since received letters of congratulations from Jamaican Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding as well as Mayor Pam Orio of the City of Tampa who both respectively spoke of his accomplishments demonstrating personal development and ambitions for leadership abilities.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, John-Henry migrated to the USA with his family, at the early age of four years. He has maintained his interest in his homeland by visiting regularly.
The son of Jamaican parents, John Marley and Trudy Marley Beerman, he has one sister and a brother.
