Air Force youth of the year recognized in Pentagon ceremony

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Fifty teens were honored at the 2011 Air Force Youth of the Year Award ceremony Aug. 3 in the Pentagon auditorium here.

The annual ceremony, held in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America Youth of the Year Program, recognizes Air Force youth for contributions to their installation youth programs, families, schools and communities.
 
Eight honorees were selected as their major command youth of the year. Additionally, one was selected as small command youth of the year and one each was selected as the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard youth of the year.

Lt. Gen. Charles B. Green, the Air Force surgeon general, hosted the event and presented Disney "Mouscars" to MAJCOM honorees and plaques to the installation-level honorees.

The teens also participated in weeklong events at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Md., including an Air Force Teen Council presentation and leadership and public speaking training. Additionally, the teens began developing Air Force-wide projects to reach out to other Air Force teens in order to get them more involved with their local communities.

The youth of the year are:

MAJCOM Youth of the Year
Karla Rogers, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Air Combat Command
Tasha Duong, Tyndall AFB, Fla., Air Education and Training Command
Nicole Valenzuela, Whiteman AFB, Mo., Air Force Global Strike Command
Brianna Schneider, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, Air Force Materiel Command
Craig Satchell, Dover AFB, Del., Air Mobility Command
Anastasia Thibodeau, Buckley AFB, Colo., Air Force Space Command
Joi Branch, Osan Air Base, South Korea, Pacific Air Forces Command
RioShaune' Harris, Vogelweh Military Complex, Germany, U.S. Air Forces in Europe

Small Command Youth of the Year
Sydney Nagel, Cannon AFB, N.M., Air Force Special Operations Command

Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard Youth of the Year
Connor Tibbetts, Air Force Reserve Command
Breanna Bowman, Virginia Air National Guard

Additional youth of the year from each MAJCOM include:

Air Combat Command
Nicolas McLaughlin, Beale AFB, Calif.
Sylvia Swanger, Dyess AFB, Texas
Asahi Mueller, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
Shamera Stewart, Langley AFB, Va.
Chasity Cagle, Moody AFB, Ga.
SaDarius Clayton, Nellis AFB, Nev.
Ronald Armond, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
Dyshali Lammey, Shaw AFB, S.C.

Air Education and Training Command
Tianna Fish, Altus AFB, Okla.
LaChardonnay Johnson, Columbus AFB, Miss.
Christopher Moore, Keesler AFB, Miss.
Kyle McLaughlin, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
Kayla Staten, Laughlin AFB, Texas
Jada Branche, Luke AFB, Ariz.
Curtis Robertson, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
Hunter Stroble, Vance AFB, Okla.

Air Force District of Washington
Mya Hudson, Joint Base Andrews, Md.

Air Force Global Strike Command
Brian Rico, Minot AFB, N.D.
Amelia Fasting, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.

Air Force Materiel Command
Nicholas Ross, Edwards AFB, Calif.
Michael Mitchell, Eglin AFB, Fla.
Ytrenda Gulley, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
Alex Earl, Hill AFB, Utah
DePrise' Richardson, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
Chelsea Wendland, Robins AFB, Ga.
Kenneth Roebuck II, Tinker AFB, Okla.

Air Force Space Command
Laura Anderson, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
Brionna Johnson, Patrick AFB, Fla.
John "Trey" Manibusan, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

Air Mobility Command
Kai Holnes, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
Ashley Goodman, Joint Base Charleston, Naval Weapon Station, S.C.
Ester Vereen, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
Janay Taylor, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
Marina Hill, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
Steven Sasiela, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
Cody Page, MacDill AFB, Fla.
Chelsea Paul, McConnell AFB, Kansas
Chelsie Smith, Scott AFB, Ill.
Trevor Burns, Travis AFB, Calif.

Pacific Air Forces
Christopher Brewer, Eielson AFB, Alaska
Antaeus Gayles, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
Derrice Daniels, Kadena Air Base, Japan
Cierra Fitzgerald, Yokota AB, Japan

U.S. Air Force Academy
Marisa East

U.S. Air Forces in Europe
Austin Gill, Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal
Kelsey Gray, Royal Air Force Alconbury, England
Bethany Blackman, RAF Mildenhall, England
Rachel Kersey, Ramstein AB, Germany
Lamonica Williams, Spangdahlem AB, Germany

Air Force Youth Programs offers high quality educational, recreational and social activities for youth and teens at Air Force installations worldwide. For more information, visit www.afyouthprograms.com or stop by a local installation youth center.

(Courtesy of Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs.)