A Hilo teen has earned the Civil Air Patrol’s highest cadet honor.
Sam Marrack, a 17-year-old Hilo High School junior, is the first female in Hawaii to receive the General Carl A. Spaatz Award, which is given to an average of just five cadets per 1,000 nationally, or one-half of one percent of all cadets.
Marrack was presented with the award at a ceremony Wednesday, in which she also was promoted to the Cadet Colonel rank.
“It hasn’t really settled in yet,” Marrack told the Tribune-Herald on Wednesday, shortly before the ceremony began. “It doesn’t feel real because this has been a goal of mine since I first joined. … And (being the first female) is incredible. That’s an extra plus, of course.”
The Spaatz Award was established in 1964. It’s named after Gen. Carl “Tooey” Spaatz who was the first chief of staff of the United States Air Force, according to online information.
To qualify, youth must spend an average of five years progressing through 16 levels of achievement within the cadet program. They also must pass a four-part exam testing their physical fitness, moral reasoning, leadership knowledge and aerospace education.
Just over 2,000 youth have received the Spaatz Award since its inception. Marrack is the 15th cadet in Hawaii to achieve the award.
“I was very happy,” said father Keith Marrack, deputy commander for cadets, recalling his daughter’s achievement. “We did a lot of work helping her study, and I learned a lot too … it’s very challenging.”
Marrack joined the cadet program at age 12, the first year youth are eligible. She said she initially wanted to forge a career traveling for a living, so her father recommended looking into becoming a pilot.
“We looked into different pilot schools and that sort of thing, and we came across Civil Air Patrol,” Marrack said. “I decided I wanted to check it out, but I was 11 years old back then, and you have to be 12 to join. So I literally joined on my 12th birthday because I was so excited about this program.”
Over time, Marrack said she gravitated away from flying and more toward “leadership aspects of the (cadet) program.” She now holds a cadet commander statewide leadership position and said she hopes to be a role model for other female cadets.
There are 40 youth cadets in the Hilo-based, Lyman Field Composite Squadron, of which just nine are female. Statewide, there are 329 cadets who also are mostly male.
“When we have new cadets or new prospects, if they are female I get extremely excited,” Marrack said. “Of course, I love it when males join, too, but when females come in, it’s incredible.”
Marrack maintains a 4.4 grade point average at Hilo High and is a member of the National Honor Society. She’s also enrolled in three Advanced Placement courses and is a member of Hilo High’s cross country team.
After high school, she is considering applying to attend the United States Air Force Academy and is interested in a career in gene therapy.
Being a cadet “has pushed me a lot,” Marrack said. “Before, I was super shy and sheltered, and I didn’t really want to talk to people I didn’t know. I was the one who would hide behind my parents when they’d introduce me to someone new. This (program) makes you so mature at a very young age, and you learn discipline and self-worth and so many other things. You grow so much, and you become a totally different person.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.