Military Child of the Year® Award
Now in its 17th year, Operation Homefront's Military Child of the Year® Award reflects the positive impact that these impressive young people have made on their military families, their schools, and their communities.
Announcement
We are thrilled to announce the 105 semifinalists for the esteemed Operation Homefront 2025 Military Child of the Year® Award!
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
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
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
About the Awards
The annual awards recognize outstanding young people ages 13 to 18. Recipients will represent a branch of the armed forces — the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Space Force — for their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and other criteria while facing the challenges of military family life.
All Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Award recipients will be flown with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., and recognized at the April 2025 gala, during which senior leaders of each branch of service will present the awards. They also will receive $10,000 each, a laptop computer, and other donated gifts. The gala is usually held in April, the month of the military child, as a way to recognize the support and appreciation we provide to military families.
WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS?
- Child must be a legal military dependent. Status confirmed by DEERS enrollment form.
- Military children must be between the ages of 13 and 18, at the time of nomination.
- Child and one adult guardian must be available to travel to the Washington, DC area April 8-11, during the month of the military child, for the Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Awards Gala award presentation.
- Officers, directors, employees, and agents of Operation Homefront and its subsidiaries or affiliated organizations, and their immediate family members (parent, child, sibling, and spouse of each) and those living in the same households of each are not eligible to receive programs, services, grants, or donated goods intended for use by Operation Homefront’s clients.
- Previous Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Award Recipients, including Innovation Award recipients, are no longer eligible.
In addition to the above eligibility requirements, if selected as a Semifinalist, must:
- Provide Letters of recommendation
- Provide Form 1172- DEERS
- Be willing to participate in media and donor opportunities
2024 Winners in DC
