KAYSVILLE, Utah — Kaysville teen Morgan Becker is exceptional in many ways; a highly skilled artist, she also helps care for her younger siblings as her mother battles cancer and father is deployed overseas.
And now the 16-year-old is a finalist for an Operation Home Front prize, a national honor recognizing one military child every year from each of the seven branches.
Morgan is one of five finalists representing the Air Force, and says she is honored by the nomination.
Winners in each category receive a $10,000 prize.
"It's amazing that they recognize military children who want to make a difference in their communities," she reflected.
Morgan was born in Nebraska, but at age two her family moved to Japan, then Portugal, California, and finally, Utah.
"It's really fun experiencing many different places and meeting new people in each place," she said, though it's challenging to move often.
That's why she appreciates the prize recognizing the sacrifices military families make for their loved ones who are deployed around the world.
Morgan said her art is inspired by all of the places she's lived, and believes the Great Salt Lake is an inspiration for her interest in wildlife conservation, as she showcases it in her pieces.
With her mother still receiving cancer treatments and her father deployed in Turkey, she said this experience has helped her overcome challenges and become a stronger person.
But when asked if she would enlist, she said she would like to go to college to pursue a career in art.
"It's what makes me happy."
