Bellbrook student named base AFRC youth of the year

  • Published
  • By 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  A 445th Airlift Wing youth was honored as the 2012 Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Air Force Reserve Command, Youth of the Year June 2.

Cayla Destefani, daughter of Maj. Charles Destefani, 445th Airlift Wing inspector general, is a student at Bellbrook High School.  

Cayla received this honor from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America for her willingness to serve and lead in her family, school, and community. Some of her accomplishments include collecting more than 96,000 pop-can pull-tabs to support the Ronald McDonald House's recycling effort in honor of her nine-month-old nephew, Landon Oliver.

As a freshman at Bellbrook High School, Cayla is a straight-A student and member of the National Junior Honor Society. In 2009, she was presented a certificate of special Congressional Recognition signed by Congressman Steve Austria for being the Bellbrook Middle School student of the month. Cayla is a member of the Bellbrook Eagles Marching Band and was recently performed in the high school's theater production of Cinderella.

Cayla is an active member of Girl Scouts and earned the Bronze and Silver Awards for more than 90 hours of community service. She is active in her church and plans to spend the summer serving as a teen volunteer at the Dayton Children's Medical Center.