MADISON – Children in military families are eligible to receive various awards, including a top award of $10,000, from the Operation Homefront organization.

Youth who are 13 to 18 years old in military families nationally can apply for the Operation Homefront 2018 “Military Child of the Year Award,” which includes a cash award of $10,000, trip to Washington D.C., donated gifts and a major boost for their applications to college.

Six of the seven available awards represent a branch of the armed forces in which a parent serves — U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard. “These awards recognize recipients for their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership and extracurricular involvement,” Stephen Thomas said. Thomas is Regional Communications Manager for Operation Homefront.

“The seventh award, the Military Child of the Year Award for Innovation, is presented by the global technology and consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton,” Thomas said. “This award goes to a military child who has designed a bold and creative solution to address a local, regional or global challenge.”

The young person winning the award will work with a Booz Allen Hamilton team to develop a plan to scale the recipient’s project. This group will draw on technology and strategic thinking as a part of the corporation’s competitive Summer Games.

A student can apply for himself or herself; in addition, another individual can nominate a deserving youth for a service branch award. To submit a nomination or application, visit MilitaryChildoftheYear.org. December 4 is the deadline.

Founded in 2002, Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable and secure military families so that they can thrive, instead of struggling to get by, in communities they have worked so hard to protect.

Leading groups for independent charity oversight groups have recognized Operation Homefront for superior performance by relaying 92 percent of expenditures directly to annual programs that support tens of thousands of military families, Thomas said. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles.

For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org.