The Young Marines, a national youth organization, has announced the Division 1 Young Marine of the Year for the second year is Susan K. Suber, 16, of Pipersville.
She is a member of the Spartan Young Marines located in Willow Grove. A junior at Central Bucks East High School, Suber will represent Division 1 in competition with five other division winners for the title of National Young Marine of the Year, the highest honor bestowed by the Young Marines organization nationally.
Being named the top Young Marine in Division 1, Suber will travel to other units throughout the division to lead, motivate, and serve as a role model for other Young Marines in the program over the course of a year. Division 1 consists of Pennsylvania, New York, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
The Young Marines is a national nonprofit youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through high school graduation. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork, and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
Suber joined the Young Marines at age 9 and she currently holds the rank of Young Marine sergeant major. She is excited about sharing her experience from this last year and continuing to inspire others the same way past honorees have inspired her.
Over her eight years in the program, Suber has attended all three leadership schools (Junior/JLS, Senior/SLS, and Advanced/ALS) and she taught at a Southeast Regiment Division 3 JLS and SLS, Division 5 JLS, and most honorably at the National Advanced Leadership School. She participated in SPACES-Adventure Links, and the Young Marines Public Affairs Course. She received the Unit Young Marine of the Year for 2019, 2021 and 2022; Battalion Young Marine of the Year in 2020; Regimental Young Marine of the Year in 2021. She has consistently received through Young Marines the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
Outside of Young Marines, Suber is busy with many hours spent as a Toys for Tots Mentor and Youth Ambassador (YA). She was named one of the first three YA Mentors. In this position she helped to inspire and teach the other YA’s not only about the program but how they can get involved in their campaign and grow as leaders. This past year she was named one of the Youth Ambassador Mentors of the Year on behalf of the Toys for Tots organization.
In addition to her Toys for Tots national leadership, she is a leader in her high school’s vocational education program, assisting the school with teaching plans and curriculum.
After high school, Suber plans to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps in the field of aviation. She believes her Young Marine experience will directly impact her future goals.
“I absolutely believe that everything the Young Marines program has taught me will help me with my future goals in life, from the leadership, teamwork, and discipline that the program has, to the public speaking, community service, and overall life skills that the program has taught me,” Suber said. “The Young Marines program has helped me step outside out of my comfort zone, enhanced my public speaking skills, and given me more confidence in my abilities. ”
Suber is the daughter of Denise Suber, Young Marine Unit event coordinator, and Dave Suber.
The National Young Marine of the Year will be chosen at the 2024 Young Marines Award Banquet in March, held in Woodbridge, Va.
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