Natalia Serna Named 2025 Military Child of the Year for Space Force
Natalia Serna, the Operation Homefront 2025 Military Child of the Year® for the Space Force, finds opportunity in the challenges that face military families.
Natalia, 17, is the daughter of Maria Tapia and Chief Master Sgt. Jay Harris, who has served in the Air Force and Space Force since 1995. He is currently senior enlisted leader at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The family resides in Lompoc, California. Natalia is an honor student at Cabrillo High School, where she is president of the junior class and enrolled in honors, AP, and dual-credit courses.
She is the third of five children in the family. The two oldest serve in the military, one in the Navy and one in the Air Force.
Natalia understands the hardships of changing friend groups and adapting to new cultures after attending 12 schools and enduring seven PCS moves that have taken the family to five states and one foreign country.
At first, she saw the constant change and upheaval as a disadvantage. However, her perspective changed, and she learned to value resiliency.
“I chose to shift my mindset, and now I appreciate the 12 supportive schools, 12 reliable friend groups, and seven different places that I can proudly call home,” she said. “Every one of these experiences has profoundly influenced my journey, instilling in me a deep appreciation for resilience and the importance of building meaningful connections.”
Natalia connects with her community through service, both at school and through civic organizations. In the 12 months before her nomination, she logged 172 volunteer hours while participating in multiple sports and maintaining high academic standards.
One of her teachers noted her advocacy work as a volunteer translator for students and families.
“Her ability to bridge language barriers has not only empowered others but also fostered a more inclusive and welcoming school environment,” wrote Cabrillo High School English teacher Jennifer Moreno in recommending Natalia for the Military Child of the Year Award.
Natalia plans to continue being a leader as she studies law and political science at Georgetown University or New York University. She would like to gain experience as a corporate lawyer and in the nonprofit sector before entering the political arena. Ultimately, she sees herself as president of the United States.
She credits her mother, Maria, and her stepfather, Jay — the man who has always been “dad” to her — for instilling a strong work ethic that helps her reach her goals.
Natalia became a military child at age 5 when he and her mom married. Being a military kid allowed her to experience various cultures and perspectives, giving her an enhanced understanding of the world.
She felt the gravity of being part of a military family when her dad spoke at her school for Military Family Appreciation Day.
“He shared stories about his time in the service, emphasizing how important family support is during deployments,” she recalled. “Hearing my dad express his gratitude for us made me realize how much our sacrifices matter, even if they sometimes feel small.”
Through her experiences, Natalia recognized that military children share a bond because they face similar challenges and triumphs. She encourages her peers to lean on fellow military families for support.
“Being a military kid may come with its challenges, but it also presents remarkable opportunities for growth and strength,” she said. “Embrace it all!”
In her free time, Natalia enjoys sports, learning new languages, and creating vision boards. She has invested her free time in projects that range from trail building and trash pickup to serving at a soup kitchen and singing patriotic songs with veterans in retirement homes.
Operation Homefront’s Military Child of the Year program, now in its 17th year, recognizes outstanding teens in each branch of the armed forces for criteria that include their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership and extracurricular involvement while facing the challenges of military family life.
Collectively, the seven 2025 recipients logged 3,488 volunteer hours in the 12 months before nominations. Altogether, they have experienced 34 permanent changes of station and lived through 283 months of deployments.
The Military Child of the Year Award recipients will be recognized at a gala in Washington, D.C., in April, during which senior leaders of each branch of service will present the awards. Award recipients also will receive $10,000 each, a laptop computer, and other donated gifts.
Service/Leadership Highlights
- Junior class president
- National Honor Society member
- Youth Leadership of Lompoc Valley junior representative
- Cabrillo High School stadium renewal project board member
- Hunt Little Heroes first-place winner
