Today during the annual state-wide Arizona American Legion convention in Carefree, Arizona, Evan Pittman was recognized by the Arizona American Legion Auxiliary as a 2017 winner of the Children of Warriors National President’s Scholarship.  Evan was the only Arizona student to win the national scholarship, and in addition to the scholarship from the American Legion’s national office, he also received a check and certificate from the statewide American Legion Auxiliary office.

Standing before hundreds of attendees in the Carefree Resort and Conference Center Opera House, Evan took the microphone and extemporaneously thanked the American Legion Auxiliary and his parents.

“I’m deeply grateful for the support of the American Legion Auxiliary for this fantastic scholarship, that will help me immensely this fall as I begin my studies at Brown University,” he said, to thunderous applause.  “My parents are here with me this afternoon.  My father served almost thirty years in the Navy and is a true American hero, serving our country in the Middle East and Afghanistan.”

“My mother served six years in the military, and was a captain in the Air Force,” he continued.  “She has been an incredible role model to me during my life — like the strong women in this room, doing important work for their community, and I greatly respect and appreciate that.”

“I also want to say I enjoyed my time at the American Legion’s Boys State program last year…  I was fortunate to win the Americanism Award for the best patriotic essay, and was also elected President of the Senate during my time at Boys State.  It was a great experience.

“Again, I thank you all for this scholarship, and this recognition today, but more importantly, I thank you all for what you do for our veterans and their families, for the great state of Arizona, and for our country.  Thank you.”

Evan departed the Opera House ballroom to a standing ovation, which lasted until he actually left the building to return to Phoenix to his summer internship in U.S. Senator Jeff Flake’s office.

American Legion Boys State is among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U.S. high school students. A participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government, Boys State was founded in 1935.  Evan attended Arizona Boys State at Northern Arizona University during summer 2016.

The Arizona American Legion Auxiliary is dedicated to Veterans & Military, Families, Youth Development and Communities in Arizona. The organization’s 15,000 members raise funds and contribute hundreds of thousands of hours in volunteerism each year in their community.