AFTON TERRY SELECTED AS 3M PLAY TO WIN AWARD WINNER

Afton Terry, a sixth-grader at Arundel Middle School in Odenton, Md., and the daughter of an Air Force major, has been selected as the winner of the second annual 3M Play to Win Award presented by the Military Bowl and 3M.

“One of our goals with the 3M Play to Win Award is to recognize local youth that demonstrate resilience and tackle challenges head on,” said Skip Driessen, 3M Government Markets Marketing Operations Manager. “Afton Terry defines the essence of this award and we are honored to recognize her.”

Afton will receive four complimentary tickets to this year’s Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman, benefiting the USO, as Virginia Tech plays Cincinnati on Monday, Dec. 31 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. She also will receive a prize package, will be on the sidelines for the start of the game and will run onto the field to retrieve the kicking tee after the opening kickoff.

The game, which begins at noon ET, will be televised on ESPN.

Afton came to the United States six years ago from the Democratic Republic of Congo when she was adopted by Laura and Jonathan Terry. Jonathan is a U.S. Air Force major, stationed at Fort Meade in Maryland.

Afton arrived in the United States not knowing a word of English, speaking only her native Lingala. But her mother, Laura Terry, said that within a few months the family had a working communication system and by the time Afton enrolled in school the following fall, she was fluent in English.

Afton is a competitive Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter, demonstrating her dedication to training and good sportsmanship. She began taking an interest in football while watching with her father and grandfather, who are ardent fans of the University of Virginia and Washington Redskins. Since enrolling at Arundel Middle, Afton has reached out to the coach of the school’s flag football team and looks forward to playing next spring.

Starting at $30, tickets for the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman can be purchased online at militarybowl.org or by calling Ticket Alternative at 877-725-8849.

Proceeds from the Bowl also benefit Patriot Point, the Military Bowl’s 290-acre retreat for recovering service members, their families and caregivers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

For the latest updates please visit militarybowl.org, follow on Twitter and Instagram @MilitaryBowl, like the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman on Facebook or download the Military Bowl app. Fans also are encouraged to sign up to receive important text messages from the Military Bowl and City of Annapolis by texting Bowl to 99411.