AUGUST 9, 2025 – Last night in the nation’s capital, five young Americans from across the Defense Department came together for the chance to be named the 2025 National Military Youth of the Year, and one walked away with the honor and the opportunity to be named the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Youth of the Year.
Stephen B. Simmons, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy, explained the significance of the honor for those five DOD youth.
“These extraordinary young people from our military communities that you see here before you … represent the best of us, and ultimately they represent the sum of our endeavors — the future,” Simmons said. “At the Department of Defense, our No. 1 priority is to ensure America’s military men and women are ready and able to fulfill our country’s national security missions. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America helps us fulfill that charge by supporting the more than 1.6 million children who are members of our military family.”
Simmons said that the partnership between DOD and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America is more than 30 years old, and the relationship has proven fruitful in providing support to military youth.
“Clubs and youth centers were there for military kids and teens as their parents returned from [Operation] Desert Storm, and they have been by their side for the challenging years of the long global war on terror,” Simmons said. “Today, tens of thousands of military-connected youth benefit from the [programs] offered through youth centers in military communities.”
When military youth are challenged by permanent change of station moves and long deployments, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America provide a sense of stability and belonging, Simmons said. The clubs also mirror some of what the military itself deems to be important.
“This program promotes many of the same values and areas of excellence embodied by those who serve in uniform, including strong character, mental and physical health, a lifelong commitment to service, and above all, that principle we hold so dear within the DOD: leadership,” Simmons said. “You can’t train leadership, but you learn it over time through the mentors and people around you. These young men and women sitting before you … are the future leaders of this nation.”
Each year, five finalists are named to represent youth centers in five regions — the Northeast, Southeast, Pacific, Midwest and Southwest United States. This year’s nominees were Avaley M. out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Avonlea S., of U.S. Army Garrison Italy; Jacob R., of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia; Jaylyn K., of Naval Base Guam; and Summer H., of Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.
At the conclusion of the evening, Jacob R. was named recipient of the honor. He thanked his mother and grandmother, as well as mentors from the Kings Bay Youth Center.
“I really just want to emphasize that my club has been such a great stepping stone to this,” he said. “And I just want to thank [Boys & Girls Clubs of America] as well for giving me the opportunity to harness my skills and to use my passion of theater to be an advocate for change and just really invest in me and show me that what I want to do matters.”
Jacob R. plans to attend New York University and is interested in acting and theater.
Each of the five nominees for National Military Youth of the Year received over $22,000 in scholarships, and as the winner, Jacob R. received an additional $20,000 scholarship. In September, he will compete for National Youth of the Year.
Earlier this week, all five nominees for National Military Youth of the Year visited the Pentagon and met with representatives of their associated military services.
By C. Todd Lopez, DOD News