(COLORADO SPRINGS) — A 16-year-old girl from Colorado Springs will be celebrated at an event in April as she has been selected the Operation Homefront 2023 Military Child of the Year representing Space Force.
Hayley Schreiner was selected as a finalist along with six other recipients for the Military Child of the Year award, presented by Operation Homefront.
Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families, and the annual Military Child of the Year Award celebrates the achievements of America’s military children and the positive impact these young people have made on their families, schools, and communities.
Recipients of this annual award are selected for their excellence in scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, and extracurricular activities. Hayley Schreiner is an athlete, a member of the debate team, and a mentor for incoming freshmen at Discovery Canyon Campus in Colorado Springs.
Her mother, Nicole works as a Space Force civil servant and her father, Col. Robert Schreiner, serves as commander of Space Delta 20 of the U.S. Space Force Element to the National Reconnaissance Office. Hayley is also enrolled in courses through the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and after high school, plans to pursue a degree in engineering.
The other six recipients of the 2023 award are:
- Air Force: Louis Geer, 18, San Antonio, TX
- Army: Mackenzie Hanna, 17, Grafton, MA
- Coast Guard: Haydn Jones, 17, Sault Sainte Marie, MI
- Marine Corps: Hannah Marie Tokiwa, 17, Pearl City, HI
- National Guard: Jackson Griggs, 18, Rainbow City, AL
- Navy: Jemma Bates, 18, Annapolis, MD
In addition to the recipients, 28 finalists were awarded a special one-time $1,000 cash award.
An awards gala to honor the 2023 recipients will be held on April 13 in Arlington, Virginia. Each recipient will also receive a $10,000 grant, a laptop computer, and other donated gifts.
