Here at Operation Homefront, the New Year doesn’t just bring with it the anticipation of what can be but also the excitement of Military Child of the Year award season.
For the past 8 years, we have been amazed and inspired by the stories of thousands of military children and how they demonstrate resilience and strength of character and leadership within their families and within their communities. All while facing of the challenges of military life.
In short, we have our work cut out for us. And it begins in earnest today with the announcing our semifinalists for the 2016 Military Child of the Year® Award. So without further ado, here they are:
ARMY
Mary T., 17, Wahiawa, Hawaii
Elissa N., 16, Sparta, Wis.
Hunter H., 14, Lansing, Kan.
Emalee H., 17, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Asia H., 12, West Point, N.Y.
Lorelei M., 10, Duncannon, Pa.
Jaccob H., 15, Saucier, Miss.
Gabrielle L., 17, Shavano Park, Texas
Hannah J., 17, Valrico, Fla.
Olivia D., 18, Hattiesburg, Miss.
Amari M., 15, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Elizabeth O., 17, Aberdeen, N.C.
Jennifer L., 17, Enterprise, Ala.
Paris S., 8, Cameron, N.C.
Antoinette K., 10, Vine Grove, Ky.
MARINE CORPS
Carson B., 17, Virginia Beach, Va.
Summer L., 17, Kailua, Hawaii
Christian F., 9, Quantico, Va.
Peter B., 18, Havelock, N.C.
Grace F., 17, Swansboro, N.C.
Haylee M., 12, San Diego, Calif.
Matthew C., 17, Jacksonville, N.C.
Caitlyn T., 14, Quantico, Va.
Cherita W., 17, Virginia Beach, Va.
GaBryella D., 13, Temecula, Calif.
Jewell D., 15, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Madison A., 13, Fredericksburg, Va.
Jenna A., 12, Houston, Texas
Jackson B., 16, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
NAVY
Elizabeth E., 15, Mc Donald, Pa.
Mariah W., 17, New Bern, N.C.
Isabelle R., 11, Jamul, Calif.
Evan P. 17, Phoenix, Ariz.
Benedict C., 17, Coronado, Calif.
Victoria B., 17, Gulf Breeze, Fla.
Jeffrey B., 17, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Michael J., 17, Stafford, Va.
Benjamin P., 17, Lakeland, Tenn.
Samantha R., 18, Fleming Island, Fla.
Alexsandra C., 17, Springfield, Va.
Adriel M., 17, O Fallon, Ill.
Gavin M., 18, Virginia Beach, Va.
Ty B., 14, FPO, AE, Rota, Spain
Sydney C., 8, Jacksonville, Fla.
AIR FORCE
Madeline G., 18, Springfield, Va.
Grace R., 11, APO, AE, Ramstein, Germany
Bethany S., 18, Beale AFB, Calif.
David Z. , 17, San Antonio, Texas
Lacey L., 17, Milton, Fla.
Bridget R., 17, Burke, Va.
Caroline S., 10, Las Vegas, Nev.
Jordyn M., 9
Makayla J., 9, Ruther Glen, Va.
Jamal B., 17, Hill AFB, Utah
Hailie W., 16, Gulf Breeze, Fla.
Madeleine M., 17, Moorestown, N.J.
Tristan T., 15, Sahuarita, Ariz.
Alyssa O., 16, Panama City, Fla.
Matthew N., 17, Spokane, Wash.
COAST GUARD
John M., 17, Annapolis, Md.
Spenser R., 18, Davie, Fla.
Chase M., 17, McLean, Va.
Kievon B., 15, Lodi, N.J.
Jessica P., 17, West Seneca, N.Y.
Gabriel N., 13, Bennington, Vt.
Jackson H., 15, Jacksonville, Fla.
Keegan F., 17, Fairhaven, Mass.
Jessie P., 16, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Liam C., 13, New Orleans, La.
Olivia K., 18, Grangeville, Idaho
Kylie M., 14, Trenton, N.J.
Ashley F., 17, Warrenton, Ore.
Qur’Annah J., 17, Frankfort, Ill.
Giavanna V., 10, Mystic, Conn.
NATIONAL GUARD
Joshua T., 15, Rolla, Mo.
Michelle G., 18, Green Cove Springs, Fla.,
Tymber L., 18, Lincoln, Neb.
John L., 17, Ellensburg, Wash.
Madeline N., 18, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Nathan M., 17, Orange Park, Fla.
Mya K., 18, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Lily M., 14, Portland, Ore.
Sarah B., 17, Glen Carbon, Ill.
Molly F., 15, Pickerington, Ohio
Madison O., 9, Pembroke, N.H.
Sydney L., 17, Lincoln, Neb.
Jodi J., 17, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Amelia B., 15, Saint Augustine, Fla.
Jordan G., 8, Virginia Beach, Va.
So now that we have our 90 semifinalists, what’s next?
Each semifinalist will be interviewed by a team selected by Operation Homefront staff. Award recipients will be chosen by a panel of judges, to include senior retired service members, senior spouses, members of Operation Homefront’s board of directors, and other leaders in the military support community.
The top 5 finalists from each branch will be announced in February. Winners will be announced in March and then on to the big gala in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 2016.
This year, the gala will present the inaugural Booz Allen Hamilton Innovation Award for Military Children. The Booz Allen Innovation Award for Military Children will go to a military child who has designed a bold, creative solution to address a local, regional or global challenge. With a new invention, improvement to existing technology, creation of a new nonprofit or community service group or expansion of an existing membership organization, the winner will show the power of innovative thinking. Booz Allen will award a grant to the winner and host the winner at the Booz Allen Innovation Center in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Booz Allen employees will assist the winner in helping to scale or advance the project.
Congratulations to all of our Military Child of the Year semi-finalists! Great job!
