The day before Jeffrey Burds’ mother passed away from colon cancer, she told him, “Do great things in life.”
Jeffrey was nine years old, and he took to those words to heart, devoting his life to making a difference in the lives of others. Now 17, Jeffrey has distinguished himself with his leadership and through his academic excellence through eight military permanent change of station relocations and 66 months of his father’s deployment.
Jeffrey is the very definition of a leader. He is the executive officer of the Camp Lejeune High School Marine Corps JROTC, the boot camp of which he was named an honor graduate in 2013. Jeffrey’s talent for leadership is further evidenced by his roles on the high school’s track, football, wrestling, and basketball teams, two of which he has captained for.
Jeffrey was awarded in 2014 with Most Valuable Player honors in track, Defensive Most Valuable Player in football, and the Sportsmanship Award in basketball. He has also captained his football and track teams. His coaches chose him to receive the 8th Marine Regiment Workhorse Award. The award is presented to “a senior student who is a team leader, shows exceptional character, and is a leader in the classroom,” and was presented to Jeffrey by the commander of the 8th Marines.
Jeffrey has accomplished all of this while maintaining a 3.94 grade point average.
Outside of the classroom, Jeffrey pursues service to community with American Cancer Society Relay for Life, National Downs Syndrome Buddy Walk, Special Olympics, and Semper Fi Fund Outdoor Odyssey.
As he contemplates his future, which may include service to his country as a Navy officer, Jeffrey continues to hold fast to the promise he made to his mother to “do great things in life.”
Jeffrey is the son of Debra Rae Burds and Navy Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Joseph Burds of Camp Lejeune, N.C.
For the next week, we will be shining a spotlight on each of our Military Child of the Year Award recipients, as well as the first ever recipient of the Operation Homefront-Booz Allen Hamilton Innovation Award. Be sure to check back daily or follow us on Twitter or Facebook for updates. In addition, throughout the months of April and May, we invite you to show your appreciation by sending a message of thanks and sharing #Mission2Honor with your friends and family.
Our heartfelt thanks to our presenting sponsor United Technologies, and all of our 2016 Military Child of the Year Award sponsors, for making this annual award one of the highlights of our year. Your support allows us to bring the stories of our military families to the forefront, making a difference in raising awareness of the challenges they face in protecting our nation.
