Vogelweh teen wins Military Youth of the Year

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tryphena Mayhugh
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  RianSimone Harris, a recent graduate of Kaiserslautern High School, Germany, competed against five other military youths and was named the 2015 Military Youth of the Year for her achievements at school and within the community Aug. 13, in Washington D.C.

She is the first Air Force teen to receive this honor since the Boys and Girls Club of America has offered a title specifically for children of military members.

"We believe it is our humble responsibility to help the families of our brave servicemen and [service]women achieve great futures," said Terrill D. McFarland, BGCA Military and Outreach Services national vice president. "Creating a home-away-from-home atmosphere is crucial to helping kids like RianSimone thrive and grow into successful young adults."

Harris maintained a 4.1 GPA and served as the vice president of the student body as well as the president of the Kaiserslautern HS National Honor Society and the Vogelweh Teen Center Keystone Club, an affiliate of the BGCA.

When she wasn't leading her peers, Harris also played the guitar, had leading roles in her school's theatrical productions and KMC Onstage productions, and was a member of the track and field and cross-country teams.

Harris, daughter of Master Sgt. Shaun and Tatineesha Harris, is scheduled to attend the BGCA National Youth of the Year event in late September.

The event is an opportunity for all the regional winners of the BGCA Youth of the Year program and Harris, as the military winner, to share their stories and compete for a chance to receive a scholarship of $25,000. The scholarship is renewable for four years, totaling up to $100,000.

Speaking as the Military Youth of the Year, Harris encourages all military youth to become involved in teen programing.

"There is an old saying that goes, 'It takes a village,'" said Harris. "What I have discovered is our club is that village."

Throughout her progress from the state to national level in the Youth of the Year program, Harris accrued $125,000 in scholarships and plans to attend Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California to pursue a degree in sociology and criminal justice.