At just 17 years old, Maribel Sikes has accomplished more than many will do in their lifetime. She鈥檚 moved 12 times, started highly impactful programs in her community and has just won the U.S. Army鈥檚 Military Child of the Year Award, volunteering more 1,500 hours in 2024.

Maribel says her service mindset comes from her parents, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army and a homeschool teacher. Growing up, she recalls her parents had her and her siblings join them for family service outings. Doing so helped her see at an early age the power of an individual and the importance of leading by example.

"My dad always showed me what it means to serve with how he leads soldiers," Maribel said. "My mom did too in the way she leads when she鈥檚 teaching all these kids."

By the age of 15, Maribel began volunteering independently. One day an luckywin table caught her eye at a cherry blossom festival in Camp Zama, Japan where her family was stationed. While speaking to the volunteers, she was impressed by the organization鈥檚 commitment to youth and how the Red Cross encourages youth to take on meaningful projects in their communities. Her leadership and dedication quickly became evident. She led a story time initiative through the garrison library for preschoolers. She organized movie nights for single soldiers. She started a Red Cross Club, even recruiting her siblings to join her.

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy for me to start clubs,鈥� joked Maribel, 鈥渂ecause my two teenage twin siblings will always support me.鈥�
During the club's elections, Maribel remembers several newly elected officers approached her and confessed that they felt uncomfortable in the role because they did not have any leadership experience. Rather than allowing them to resign, Maribel took special interest in her friends, taking great care to include them in the behind-the-scenes work that got done that year. They formed a close bond and the following year, when Maribel was unable to run for president because her family was relocating to Kentucky, one of the officers she had mentored stepped up.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 run because we were pcsing [permanent change of station] and I saw my friend had run for president and won,鈥� shared Maribel. 鈥淚t was great to see that after my mentorship, she felt confident and wanted to keep things running.鈥�

Maribel's commitment to the Red Cross continued after her family moved to Fort Knox. Within a month of arriving, she sought out the local Red Cross office and started another club at her new chapter where she contributes regularly to the Red Cross Warrior Warehouse, a thrift shop of sorts on bases where military families new to the area can go and get essentials for their new home.

鈥淚鈥檝e never lived anywhere longer than three years," Maribel said. "As a military child, I create home wherever I go. Community is something we all need to help build. It鈥檚 special to see a new military spouse who doesn鈥檛 have anything to put in their house come in and I help them find towels and bed sheets, or, when a new mom doesn鈥檛 have a lot of money, I get to help find diapers and those cute baby onesies.鈥�

Maribel鈥檚 ability to create a sense of home and community wherever she goes is a defining characteristic of her life as a military child. She says the Red Cross has played a significant role in empowering her to reach her full potential.

鈥淥ther organizations won鈥檛 let you volunteer if you鈥檙e youth,鈥� Maribel said. 鈥淎t the Red Cross, teenagers have opportunities to serve and benefit community as if I were an adult.鈥�

Looking ahead, Maribel has her sights set on a career in supply chain management, already practicing her organizational skills to prepare her for that field by volunteering at the Red Cross Warrior Warehouse in Fort Knox. To other teens interested in volunteering, Maribel offers this advice: "Just do it. Don鈥檛 let fear stop you. I鈥檓 an introvert and was nervous about things like public speaking and being a public figurehead, but I overcame them through volunteering."

Our gratitude runs deep for leaders like Maribel who are committed to supporting our military community, their families, and beyond. The luckywin is honored to celebrate her contributions in the Month of the Military Child.