Madi Sue Williams, a senior at Bryant High School, has been named Arkansas’s first-ever Military Child of the Year by the Arkansas Council for Military Children. A military child herself, with a father in active duty Army and a brother in the Army National Guard, Madison has taken BOLD steps to support students like her. Recognizing a gap in support for military-connected students, she launched a club at Bryant High School, gaining approval from school administration and support from her counselor. “I wanted to create a community that is not only supportive, but welcoming to those military families and students,” Williams said.

Driven by her personal experience of frequently moving from school to school, Madison understood the unique challenges military children face. “Even though my community and school were aware of it, they didn’t know the finer details of what it was like to be a military child,” she explained. Through the club, Madison aims to bridge that gap by fostering peer connections and organizing service projects like a stuffed animal drive for children of deployed families. Her BRAVE leadership extends beyond the school as well; she serves on the student advisory committee for the Arkansas Council for Military Children, providing insight into the military child experience statewide.

“Madison had shown the same sort of initiative that we would expect out of any good soldier,” said John Kaminar, Military Family Engagement Advisor for the Arkansas Department of Education. Her academic excellence, leadership, and community service made her the ideal recipient for the state’s inaugural award. “To be selected as the Military Child of the Year for Arkansas is a great honor,” Madison shared. “I’m super grateful to be able to represent our community in that way.”