Photo By Staff Sgt. Amber Smith | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Julio Hernandez stands with Pershing Hill Elementary School staff...... read more read more
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Anne Arundel County Public Schools named U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Julio Hernandez its Volunteer of the Month for May 2026 during a ceremony at district headquarters in Annapolis, held ahead of its monthly Board of Education meeting.
Hernandez, a 46S public affairs mass communication specialist with the 55th Public Affairs Company (Combat Camera), 114th Signal Battalion, under 7th Signal Command (Theater), has spent the last two years volunteering as the event photographer for Pershing Hill Elementary School on Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. His images document school events and help staff share stories with students, families and the broader Fort Meade community.
Principal Selicia Hardy said his work has changed how the school sees itself. “Staff Sgt. Hernandez’s photography has displayed the great things that are going on here at Pershing Hill,” Hardy said. “When students walk in the building, they’re able to see themselves. It’s no longer the old pictures it’s current. They can tell the story just by looking at the photos.”
Hernandez began volunteering to support his wife, who works at the school, and to spend more time with his son, a Pershing Hill student. After learning about his background in visual information and Army public affairs, Hardy invited him to provide regular photography coverage for school activities and special projects.
“Seeing the staff and students really relish the imagery I provide for them is always a great feeling,” Hernandez said. “But beyond just the photos, knowing that I am actively doing something to improve and uplift my local community is even more rewarding.”
Hardy said the relationship reflects a strong partnership between the Fort Meade military community and the school. As a leader new to a Fort Meade school, she said she was looking to build those connections and found one in Hernandez’s consistent presence. “The partnership between Staff Sgt. Hernandez and Pershing Hill has helped form a bond that I think will never be broken,” she said. “We don’t see him just as a Soldier or military personnel. We see him as an active part of our school community.”
Hernandez said the role has been mutually beneficial, strengthening his connection to the community while sharpening the skills he uses in uniform to tell the Army story. “On one hand, it gives me a great sense of belonging; it feels like a tailor-made volunteer job,” he said. “On the other hand, it helps me professionally. Photography and mass communication are skills that only get better with repetition, so volunteering gives me those extra reps.”
A former 31B military police Soldier, Hernandez later retrained as a 25M multimedia illustrator and 46V visual information specialist before becoming a 46S public affairs mass communication specialist. Across those roles, he has focused on updating unit branding, modernizing imagery and improving how organizations communicate with their audiences, work that aligns with 7th Signal Command (Theater)’s mission to enable information and communications capabilities for the Army.
Hardy said his commitment at Pershing Hill goes beyond taking pictures of his own child. “While he has a son here at our school, his focus is not just on his son as a parent,” she said. “He has taken on a love for all students. He makes sure the photos he’s taking are not just about his child, but about everybody here in the building.”
She described him as a natural educator as well as a communicator. “I’m certain that he loves his job and he does well at his job, but I would endorse him also as an educator,” Hardy said. “He builds positive relationships with children, talks with them and teaches them through his own hard work and determination. He is an example not only for parents and community members, but also for the children he serves.”
Hernandez is scheduled to move to a new unit and installation, but Hardy said his impact will remain visible at Pershing Hill. “As he leaves Pershing Hill and Fort Meade, there will definitely be a hole in our hearts,” she said. “We are forever grateful. When we look around, we see the work that will live on here because of Staff Sgt. Hernandez.”
Hernandez encouraged others not to be intimidated by the idea of volunteering. “Volunteering can be done in small chunks,” he said. “There are big opportunities out there, but there is a way to volunteer that fits every person’s capacity. My advice is to put yourself out there. Anything you do, no matter how big or small, has an impact. The real reward is the difference you make just by taking that first step.”
In addition to the Volunteer of the Month honor from AACPS, Hernandez led a photography project for the school that earned a letter of appreciation, and his documented volunteer hours contributed to his being awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
| Date Taken: | 05.24.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.24.2026 14:09 |
| Story ID: | 566065 |
| Location: | FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fort Meade Soldier honored as school district Volunteer of the Month, by SSG Amber Smith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
