As part of an effort to honor and support more students, the Board of Education has expanded the annual application window for its Military Service Award in Honor of Candace C.W. Antwine. The awards are designed to provide assistance to Anne Arundel County Public Schools students who enlist in the military after graduation.

The monetary stipends are given each spring in honor of Ms. Antwine, a Navy veteran who served on the Board of Education from 2018 until her death in 2021, to AACPS students who have made a similar commitment by enlisting to serve in the United States military upon graduation. They assist awardees with initial expenses related to enlisting, including uniforms and basic training supplies, and aim to remove financial barriers to military service.

“Our Board has been very pleased to be able to provide these awards each year, but we know there are many more students who may be able to make use of these funds than the number who are applying each year,” said Board President Gloria Dent, a 26-year U.S. Army veteran. “My fellow Board members and I are thrilled each year to see so many students who are entering the military stand and be recognized at their graduations, and we want to see more applications for these awards this year than ever before.”

The application window opens today and runs through April 15, 2027. Applications can be found online at www.aacps.org/serviceaward.

"Over the past two years, the Board has worked to strengthen and raise visibility for this important opportunity for our students enlisting in the military,” said Board Vice President Dawn Pulliam, who chairs the Military Service Award Committee. “Opening enrollment at the start of the school year is just one of the steps we've taken to do that and honor more of our amazing students.”

The awards are funded through efforts of the Board and do not come from Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ operating budget. Donations to the award fund can also be made at www.aacps.org/serviceaward.