Annual Scholarships for Boy and Girl Youth Wrestlers (grades 7-12)

In 2015 TSWWF was created to honor the legacy of American Hero of Benghazi and 1989 OSAA champion wrestler from Oregon City High School, SCPO US Navy SEAL and CIA Security Officer Tyrone Snowden Woods. In 2022 he and three other Americans, Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, Diplomatic Officer Sean P. Smith, and former US Navy SEAL and CIA security officer Glen A. Doherty, who perished on September 11-12, 2012, were honored as recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal for their service and ultimate sacrifice in service to our great Nation. Tyrone's story was told in the 2016 Michael Bay movie, "13 Hours". With TSWWF, we hope to shine a light on the sport with its character-building qualities and positive contributions that influenced Tyrone to become the man he was.

To honor Tyrone and his great love of wrestling, we formed this nonprofit (no salaries having ever been paid) with a mission to provide financial assistance to youth wrestlers, especially those from low-income and economically challenged situations, to enable them to be a part of this great sport that he loved so much. Each year at the end of the wrestling season in February, TSWWF reviews scholarship applications submitted by Oregon high school seniors, boys and girls. The 3-page application includes writing a 250-word essay focusing on the positive influence of the sport as applied to the athlete's personal life and challenges presented to them. They are selected on the basis of their academic, athletic, and volunteer achievements. Each year, two applicants, a boy and a girl, are selected to receive the TSW Memorial Trophies and the accompanying $2500 scholarships while six other applicants are selected to receive the $500 honorable mention awards.
We began these scholarships in 2016 at the $1000 level and then later increased the amount to $2500 and added the six $500 awards. It is our goal to continue increasing the scholarship amounts and also add to the number of honorable mention awards we present each year. All the awardees reflect their commitment to discipline, character, and a desire to contribute to our society as young athletes, scholars, and good citizens. We have received many notes of gratitude thanking us for the financial assistance we provided that helped them pursue their life's dreams after high school. It is our intent to continue to grow the support and donations we receive in order to maintain an adequate level of financial reserves to help these youth wrestlers. Donations for the scholarships would be extremely helpful.

Since writing our first check in 2016, we have contributed over $141,000 to 91 wrestlers, 17 high schools, 13 wrestling clubs, and 5 middle schools. We are a hard-working nine-member board, several who ae friends of Tyrone from high school, dedicated to doing what we can in our small way to provide additional financial assistance for these young people as they face the challenge of continuing their education. Our impact is not like a MacKenzie Scott, Bill Gates, or Warren Buffet nonprofit philanthropy. However, we are doing our best to honor Tyrone and provide needed financial assistance to deserving young people who need to be recognized for their discipline, effort, and commitment to being the very best they can be.

Thank you for reading and considering this project as deserving of your support.