Yvette Peterson has been a superb volunteer with Operation Homefront for five years. The decision to volunteer came after she and her husband, a medically retired soldier, were awarded a mortgage-free home in 2013, through Operation Homefront’s Homes on the Homefront program. “We decided that we needed to help other military families,” Peterson said. “Going … Continued
We are pleased to share with you today some words from our President and CEO, John I. Pray, Jr., Brig Gen, USAF (Ret.) on this year’s Military Child of the Year Awards recipients and why it so important to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of our military children and why we want to make this … Continued
Pierce Corson, 2020 MCOY for U.S Coast Guard, Advocates for Mental Health Awareness Among Teens and Children Pierce Corson, our 2020 Military Child of the Year for the Coast Guard, is dedicated to spreading mental health awareness for young people. The 17-year-old senior at Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has conducted research … Continued
Kainath Kamil Hopes to Change the World through Innovation As our 2020 Military Child of the Year for Innovation, Kainath Kamil, 16, wants to continue studying the genetic mechanisms of addiction—which means even more weekends with her fruit flies. A student at Mission Vista High School in Oceanside, California, Kainath believes in the transformative power … Continued
Adversity Builds Strength in Kristina Lee, 2020 MCOY for National Guard Kristina Lee, our 2020 Military Child of the Year for the National Guard, has worn the crown as Ohio’s Miss Teen Buckeye State, and she sported a different look when she campaigned for office at a SkillsUSA State Leadership Conference. The 18-year-old senior at … Continued
Samantha Grab, Our Air Force 2020 Military Child of the Year, Finds the Joy in Life Samantha Grab, our 2020 Military Child of the Year® for the Air Force, has brought light and happiness to so many around her through her music and positive attitude, especially during tough times. Her family’s nickname for her is … Continued
Miryam Smith, 2020 MCOY for the Navy, Honors Dad through Excellence Miryam Smith, our 2020 Military Child of the Year for the Navy, remembers her father telling her that hard work pays off and that she could achieve anything she put her mind to. Those words have been Miryam’s motivation since her father, retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Eduardo Smith, took his own life in 2016. The tragedy, she … Continued
Niklas Cooper, 2020 MCOY for Marines, Serves School and Community When Niklas Cooper, our 2020 Military Child of the Year for the Marine Corps, shows up, he brings a big heart as a leader and volunteer in his community and as a student at Lejeune High School in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he is … Continued
Fionnuala Mahoney Believes in Compassion and Helping Those in Need Fionnuala “Finn” Mahoney, our 2020 Military Child of the Year for the Army, is a resilient, adaptable teenager. She proves that every day living with learning differences, being a caregiver for her grandmother, helping to rebuild her childhood home in New Hampshire, and being a … Continued
Our virtual 2020 Military Child of the Year® award gala continues today with an introduction to this year’s recipients: Fionnuala Mahoney, U.S. Army, Samantha Grab, U.S. Air Force; Pierce Corson, U.S. Coast Guard; Niklas Cooper, U.S. Marine Corps; Kristina Lee, National Guard; Miryam Smith, U.S. Navy; Kainath Kamil, Innovation Award presented by Booz Allen Hamilton. … Continued
