Pinecrest High School senior Kinsey Robinson, of West End, (Army category), was honored at the 2026 Military Child of the Year Semifinalist Recognition Event, which was held on April 17 in Jacksonville, N.C.
The event honored the achievements of North Carolina’s exceptional military children. The event was organized by the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Operation HomeFront, and hosted by the City of Jacksonville.
North Carolina celebrated Robinson and six other semifinalists, standing among 68 semifinalists selected from a total of 1,181 nominations nationwide. North Carolina remains the only state in the nation to host a dedicated semifinalist recognition event.
They were selected through a highly competitive national process that recognizes military-connected youth for their excellence in scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, extracurricular achievement, and resilience.
Distinguished guests included NCDMVA Secretary Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette; U.S. Marine Corps II Marine Expeditionary Force Sergeant Major Anthony Loftus; U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Chaplain Pastor Jim Daub and City of Jacksonville Council member Dr. Angelia Washington.
On behalf of Gov. Josh Stein, Secretary Mallette congratulated the honorees and presented the Month of Military Child Proclamation, signed by the Governor, along with NCDMVA certificates to five of the seven North Carolina semifinalists in attendance, thanking them for their commitment and sacrifice to our state and nation.
“At NCDMVA, we firmly believe that when one person serves, the entire family serves,” said Secretary Mallette in a press release. “Being a military child is not a challenge you need to overcome. It’s a superpower that you need to harness — and you’ve already shown the world how you can do that. Congratulations to each of our outstanding semifinalists. We are incredibly proud of you, and we cannot wait to see how you continue to lead and inspire.”
Robinson was recognized by the Moore County Board of Education in April.
“Kinsey exemplifies the resilience and character often found in military-connected students,” said the board. “At Pinecrest, she is known for her intellectual curiosity, leadership, and commitment to others. She has excelled academically while contributing as an editor of the Pinecrest yearbook, a member of The Pinecrest Players, Speech and Debate, and the National Honor Society. Kinsey also frequently mentors younger students and encourages her peers.”
Feature photo: Pinecrest student Kinsey Robinson (fourth from left) was among the seven semifinalists for the Military Child of the Year award.
Want Moore news that matters? Please click here to sign up for the free Sandhills Sentinel e-newsletter.
Contributed article/photo/video.
