My military mom: Child wins national essay contest

Manuel Othon, store administrator at the Sheppard Commisssary, presents 12-year-old Katie Rice, grand prize winner of Quaker Oat's National Military Mom Essay Contest, with a 500 dollar gift certificate to Tiffany's & Co. May 7. Also pictured are Katies mother, Debbie Rice, Katie's father Lt. Col. Craig Rice, and Quaker representative Scott Levy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Candy Miller)

My military mom: Child wins national essay contest

Winner of Quaker Oat's National Military Mom Essay Contest Katie Rice, 12, presents her mom Debbie with a 500 dollar gift certificate to Tiffany's & Co. for Mother's Day May 7. Katie received the gift certificate as the grand prize in the essay contest. Also pictured is Lt. Col. Craig Rice, Katie's father. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Candy Miller)

My military mom: Sheppard child wins national essay contest

Published May 11, 2009
By Katie Rice
82nd Training Wing dependant

SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Katie Rice, 12, grand prize winner of Quaker Oat's Military Mom Essay Contest, won a 500 dollar gift cerificate to Tiffany's & Co. May 7 for writing the following essay in the national contest:

My military mom is strong, and independant. That is half the reason I love her! She cares and comforts us. She raised us with enough love to fill the world. She is colorful, kind, and also fun! My mom doesn't complain when we have base functions or have to move. In fact, she is the Military Spouse of the Year for the 882nd Group at Sheppard Air Force Base for all she does to support dad and the military. I am so incredibly proud of her. She is amazing and my role model. She makes everything look so easy and sometimes even fun, when I know it' hard and uneasy even for her to do. But she doesn't frown about it. She just helps everyone else smile! She can do anything and everything she ever puts her mind to. She motivates and teaches me to do my best and to just have fun no matter what. When I'm sick she nurses me, and when I'm down she helps me get back up. She is my best friend, and my favorite person in the whole entire world. There is nothing that money could by that would tell her how grateful and gives her the thanks and love she deserves but it would be really nice if we could show her the way we feel about her! That is why my military mom is the best, and why I think she deserves to win this contest.