Operation Homefront Announces 2025 Semifinalists for Esteemed Military Child of the Year® Award
SAN ANTONIO – Operation Homefront, the national nonprofit working to build strong, stable, and secure military families, announced today the 105 semifinalists for their 2025 Military Child of the Year® Award. More than 900 exceptional children of U.S. military service members and veterans from across the globe were nominated, a new record for the program which has celebrated the remarkable achievements, character, and contribution of military children with the Military Child of the Year Award for the past 17 years.
This program is the nation’s premier tribute to America’s military children, who serve and sacrifice alongside their parents. The Military Child of the Year Award recognizes the positive influence they have on their families, schools, and communities, despite the unique challenges these young people often face. The Military Child of the Year Award serves as a lifelong source of pride for the recipients and offers them unparalleled opportunities to connect with senior military leaders, celebrities, and most importantly, peers who understand the obstacles of growing up within a military family.
Finalists for the 2025 Military Child of the Year Award will be selected in February by a panel of independent, volunteer judges. The final seven award recipients – one representing each branch of the military – will be announced in March and each will receive $10,000, a laptop computer, and other donated gifts at a gala held in their honor in Washington D.C. on April 10.
Visit our Military Child of the Year® Award page to learn more.
The following are the 2025 Military Child of the Year® Award semifinalists by service branch.
Air Force
Luis Angulo, 16, FPO, AP
Margaret Bartlow, 17, Tyndall AFB, FL
Morgan Becker, 17, Elkhorn, NE
Isabella Garcia, 18, Vass, NC
Campbell Hough, 18, Pinehurst, NC
Madison Jennings, 17, South Riding, VA
Lily Kenkel, 13, APO, AP
Abigail Long, 16, Oklahoma City, OK
Brynn Makros, 17, Colorado Springs, CO
Kenley Neal, 15, APO, AE
Sophia Pinero, 16, APO, AE
Kaymon Regala, 17, Abilene, TX
Hannah Rhodes, 17, Whiteman AFB, MO
Elizabeth Stanton, 15, College Station, TX
Lily Via, 16, Navarre, FL
Army
Mary Angelique Abrenica, 17, Fort Carson, CO
Citlali Arzabala, 17, Fort Leonard Wood, MO
Abigail Babski, 17, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
Aleigh Cline, 17, DeRidder, LA
Dayne Drake, 18, Ely, NV
Kent Hoiden, 17, Dupont, WA
Jazmine Jaramillo, 17, Fountain, CO
Nevaeh McFarlane, 18, Converse, TX
Kathryn Scorza, 18, Savannah, GA
Maribel Sikes, 16, Fort Knox, KY
Jordan Simmers, 18, APO, AE
Nicole Smith, 15, Richmond Hill, GA
Leilani Tenen, 18, Richmond Hill, GA
Julius Tsuber, 17, Colorado Springs, CO
Patrick Whearly-Sanchez, 17, El Paso, TX
Coast Guard
Cole Baumgartner, 17, Waterford, CT
Emmalyn Buskirk, 18, Hickory, NC
Yaniel Capestany, 17, San Juan, PR
McKinzey Cleveland, 16, Dripping Springs, TX
Noah Davis, 15, Camden, NC
Layla Elliott, 14, West Lafayette, IN
Kylei Fleming, 16, Peachtree City, GA
Ian Lindo, 17, Chesapeake, VA
Logan McGuire, 17, Hamilton, NJ
Robinson Meuse, 17, Norwich, CT
Amber Morales, 17, Round Rock, TX
Kamelia Perez, 17, Miami, FL
Harlee Rohrer, 16, Moyock, NC
Bridgette Simpson, 17, Copperas Cove, TX
Caitlyn Sivilla, 15, Mt. Airy, MD
Marine Corps
Nevaeh Giossi, 17, Newport, NC
Hannah Kirksey, 17, Sneads Ferry, NC
Michala Lund, 17, Yuma, AZ
Tyronne Mitchell Jr., 17, Chesapeake, VA
Mia Monday, 17, Kailua, HI
Connor Nicol, 16, Hampton, NH
Aiden Nolan, 17, Swansboro, NC
David Ozwoldike, 17, Fort Belvoir, VA
Miley Palacios, 16, Oceanside, CA
Hayden Pinto, 17, Mount Pleasant, SC
Brianna Quiter, 17, Virginia Beach, VA
Anthony Rieck-Williamson, 17, Camp Lejeune, NC
Isabella Smith, 17, Hubert, NC
Ian Valdez, 16, Chesapeake, VA
Breena Youngblood, 17, FPO, AE
National Guard
Amaia Arteta, 16, Green Cove Springs, FL
Emily Baldeosingh, 17, Havelock, NC
Ethan Danner, 17, Georgetown, TX
Kylee Finn, 18, Cascade, MT
Abigail Harris, 16, Fair Oaks, CA
Cole Hofstad, 17, Royalton, MN
Kyle Patrick Janer, 17, Alexandria, VA
Laurel Loeffler, 15, Sacramento, CA
Lila Morgan, 17, Lithia, FL
Liliana Ortiz, 17, Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Savana Schools, 16, Waterville, ME
Lincoln Taylor, 17, North Ogden, UT
Marcus Thompson, 17, Layton, UT
Madison Williams, 17, Benton, AR
Grant Wilson, 16, New Albany, OH
Space Force
Isabelle Button, 14, Colorado Springs, CO
Lauren Clark, 18, Thornton, CO
Mia Daniels, 17, Arlington, VA
Hadlee Fuller, 17, Melbourne, FL
Kira Hogan, 13, San Pedro, CA
Giani Kigembe, 13, Long Beach, CA
Brandon Kim, 16, Stowers, CA
Olivia Kohler, 17, Littleton, CO
Emma Norsky, 17, Vandenberg SFB, CA
Lilian Plunkett, 15, Colonial Beach, VA
Lilianna Quillen, 17, APO, AE
Emily Rupp, 16, San Pedro, CA
Natalia Serna, 16, Lompoc, CA
Athena Suliashvili, 15, Satellite Beach, FL
Christian Tilmans, 15, Melbourne, FL
Navy
Ashlyn Amerine, 17, Virginia Beach, VA
Emily Austin, 17, FPO, AE
Dmya Brandy, 16, Chesapeake, VA
Aniya Clark, 17, Bremerton, WA
Michael Collins, 18, Virginia Beach, VA
Evelyn Doyle, 16, Colorado Springs, CO
Trenton Green, 17, Jacksonville, FL
Siyennah Igmen, 17, FPO, AP
Kathryn Martin, 17, Papillion, NE
Mason Mosher, 18, Marysville, WA
Analiese Poe, 18, Clarksville, TN
Morgan Ramsey, 13, Virginia Beach, VA
Felicity Roussakies, 16, Kingsland, GA
Austin Stephens, 17, Chesapeake, VA
Ayla Zook, 17, King George, VA
About Operation Homefront
Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 83 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America’s military families. For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org.
Media Inquiries:
Amber Myszka, Director, Integrated Public Relations
Amber.Myszka@OperationHomefront.org
(208) 258-1476
