Havelock senior named Military Child of the Year

Emily Baldeosingh was one of 900 youth nominated for this year’s Military Child of the Year, an award given out by Operation Homefront to a child of a service member in each branch of the military.

Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit that works to build strong, stable and secure military families.

The Military Child of the Year program is in its 17th year and recognizes young people ages 13 to 18 who represent a branch of the seven armed forces with their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership and extracurricular involvement, while also facing the challenges of military family life.

Baldeosingh was born in Morehead City and grew up in Havelock, near the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.

As a Gold Star child, Baldeosingh said her experience as a military child is different from others.

“Since my father was killed in action when I was only 2 years old, I didn’t get the average military child experience,” she said. “I think being a Gold Star child has taught me a lot about my character.”

Her father, Juancarlos Baldeosingh, an Army National Guard sergeant was among four North Carolina guardsmen killed in Iraq in June 2009 when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle, according to the Operation Homefront website.

He first served in the Marine Corps but transitioned to civilian life and in 2008, joined the National Guard.

“It was hard growing up, knowing that someone who was supposed to be so special in my life wasn’t going to be at life events like my soccer games or school concerts,” Baldeosingh said. “Knowing that he wasn’t physically there with me and he never was going to be again, that was the hardest part about everything.”

However, Baldeosingh said she grew to accept being a Gold Star child and even grew to love it.

“I just want to be an advocate for all the Gold Star children in the United States,” she said. “I want to highlight other Gold Star children with this award because I feel like sometimes we are forgotten about.”

For the past five years, she has attended a Gold Star Sailing Camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Gold Star Sailing is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization that uses sailing to instill self-confidence, build character, teach teamwork, develop leadership and promote healing for Gold Star children.

During the week-long summer camp, high school age students meet other Gold Star children and participate in adventures both on land and on the water.

Baldeosingh said campers learn from and interact with sailing champions, like Erika Reineke, who represented the United States in the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

“They only take about 20 kids each year and when we first come in everyone is just getting to know each other,” she said. “By the end of the week, we truly become a family.

“It has completely shaped my character and we’re able to connect on a different level that we can’t connect on with anyone else.”

Last summer, Baldeosingh was selected as a Gold Star Sailing junior counselor.

Baldeosingh said being a Gold Star child has instilled a drive to succeed and be as excellent as possible.

“I do everything for my dad to carry on his legacy,” she said. “I’m here to share his legacy and focus on the ultimate sacrifice he made for our country.”

She has remained active in both the military community and Havelock community, especially throughout her high school career.

Baldeosingh is a varsity athlete in cheer, lacrosse, soccer and track and field. She’s currently the varsity cheer captain at Havelock High School and was nominated for the National Cheerleaders Association All American Team in 2023 and 2024.

This year, she was offered a position with the National Cheerleaders Association as a staff instructor. Baldeosingh will travel throughout the East Coast to teach middle school, high school and college students about cheerleading.

Baldeosingh is senior class president and salutatorian of Havelock High School. She was also named the Havelock Chamber of Commerce 2024 Volunteer of the Year.

She serves in various other leadership roles at Havelock High School with different clubs like Future Business Leaders of America and the National Honor Society.

“I’ve done a lot during my time in high school,” Baldeosingh said. “Through this award, I just want to say how grateful I am that someone has seen all the hard work that I put in to build my life up to the higher standard that I know it can be.”

However, Baldeosingh said her busy lifestyle will continue beyond high school.

She plans to study international business at High Point University and eventually earn a master’s degree in business leadership. She was already accepted into the university’s prestigious Strickland LIFT Fellowship Program, which focuses on leadership and female trailblazers.

Since she was a little girl, Baldeosingh knew that she wanted to be a real estate agent. Her ultimate goal is to be a real estate agent in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., selling luxury waterfront properties.

“I love houses, I love networking, I love meeting new people and I just want to help people find their dream home,” she said.

Additionally, Baldeosingh hopes to continue to live near a military base so she can remain connected with military children and families.

Currently, she coaches a youth cheer team at MCAS Cherry Point and hopes to continue her work as a coach for military children in the future.

“I love to make an impact and that’s what I’m here today doing,” she said.

Baldeosingh currently lives with her mother, Rebecca, and her stepfather, retired Marine Sgt. Maj. Skip Amaker, who served 26 years. His tenure included five deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan.

“Him and my mom got married in 2023,” she said. “I love him so much. He does so much for us and I’m so grateful for him.”

As a recipient of the Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Award, Baldeosingh, accompanied by a parent or guardian, will be flown to Washington, D.C., to be recognized at the April 2025 gala.

She will also receive $10,000, a laptop and other donated gifts. Baldeosingh said she plans to use a portion of the award money to pay for her education at High Point University.