MACOMB, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 16-year-old from Macomb will receive the 2019 Army Military Child of the Year Award in Washington D.C.
The award reflects the positive impact young people have made on their military families, schools and communities.
Elisabeth McCallum Polleys is the daughter of Army Major Tara McCallum. Elisabeth participates in a range of volunteer activities, from appearing on PBS' "Curious Crew," showcasing investigation of STEM, to cleaning up roadside litter and serving dinner to veterans and visiting nursing home patients through Job's Daughters International.
She also has helped with Samaritan's Purse's Operation Christmas Child, filling shoe boxes with gifts for children overseas, and organized donation drives for A Rejoyceful Animal Rescue.
At L'Anse Creuse High School North, Elisabeth helps mentor incoming freshmen as a member of Link Crew and performs with the Pankow Performing Arts program and the Thespian Troupe. She has completed over 170 hours of community service.
She credits her experience as a military child with making her resilient enough to overcome the obstacles and difficulties she has encountered by volunteering with new organizations and recognizing that each place has much to offer if you look for it. Moving frequently is both the worst and best part of military life, she says, if you learn to embrace the “well-traveled life.”
Elisabeth and six other award recipients will travel to Washington D.C. to be recognized at the award gala on April 18. Each award recipient will receive $10,000, a laptop and other donated gifts.
