Local teens named semifinalists for Military Child of the Year honors

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An undated photo of Operation Homefront's 2024 Military Child of the Year Award recipients in Washington, D.C.A pair of Ogden area teens have been named as semifinalists for an annual award recognizing the accomplishments of America’s military children and the positive impact they have on the world around them.
Lincoln Taylor, 17, of North Ogden (Army National Guard) and Marcus Thompson, 17, of Layton (Air National Guard) are among the group of 105 semifinalists for Operation Homefront’s Military Child of the Year awards, which are given annually to children ages 13 to 18 from each of the nation’s service branches: the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, National Guard, Navy and Space Force.
Now in it’s 17th year, the program honors children “for their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, extracurricular involvement and other criteria while facing the challenges of military family life,” according to Operation Homefront’s website.
Finalists for the 2025 Military Child of the Year awards will be selected next month by a panel of independent, volunteer judges, according to a release. Winners will be announced in March, after which they’ll each receive $10,000, laptop computers and other donated gifts at a gala in their honor to be held in Washington, D.C., in April.
“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,” the release stated.
Founded in 2002, Operation Homefront is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing “relief and recurring family support programs and services throughout the year to help military families overcome short-term difficulties so they don’t become long-term hardships,” according to the organization’s website. Other key programs include critical financial assistance, housing assistance, holiday meals/toy drives and Homefront Celebrations for military spouses.
For more information, go to https://operationhomefront.org/military-child-of-the-year/.