Cannon youth honored as AFSOC Youth of the Year Published Aug. 4, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Jette Carr 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Sydney Nagel, daughter of Master Sgt. Steven Nagel, 27th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, was recently recognized as the 2010 Air Force Small Command Youth of the Year (YoY). This week she is one of 11 U.S. Air Force youths being honored during a YoY forum in Washington, D.C., Aug. 1-5, 2011. Each annual YoY competition starts at the installation level where a nominated youth submits an extensive portfolio with essays on their moral character, involvement in the community, service to their Youth Program, and many other areas recognizing good leadership. Nagel won YoY for Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., and was ultimately chosen to represent Air Force Special Operations Command at the national forum. "Cannon's YoY is an individual who is selected because they exemplify all the different areas of our program at the Youth Center," said Brandi Clay, 27th Special Operations Force Support Squadron open recreation director. "The areas are leadership, education, academics, recreation and science," she said. "YoY is a person who excels in all those areas and goes above and beyond with their schoolwork, after-school activities, and stands above the crowd." Nagel says she believes Clay nominated her for YoY because of her involvement at the Youth Center here. She has helped in many ways, from running art club to helping children with their homework. "Since the moment we moved to Cannon, three years ago, my brother and I have been involved at the Youth Center's open recreation program," said Nagel. "This has been our way to get out of the house, make new friends, get involved in the community, and we are actually able to earn scholarship money." Her father explained that much of Nagel's success came from volunteering to help Clay as well as participating in the art club, drama club, and school choir. "All in all she is caring to others and is a wonderful person who will succeed in anything she puts her mind to," he added. "That's why we love her so much. I am very proud of Sydney and her accomplishments." While at Cannon, Nagel plans to continue volunteering for the Youth Center. She is working towards a scholarship to The Juilliard School and wants to be the first person in her family to graduate from college with a 4.0 grade point average.