A Bainbridge Island Naval Sea Cadet was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Youth Medal by officials of the Navy League’s Seattle Council.

Sea Cadet Petty Officer Christopher “CJ” Waite,

16, accepted his award Feb. 11 at the Navy League’s annual installation dinner along with active duty honorees from the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The Navy League’s Theodore Roosevelt Youth Medal, named in honor one of the organization’s founders, is awarded to outstanding Naval Sea Cadets selected as their unit’s Cadet of the Year.

“CJ consistently has a can do attitude,” said Lt. j.g. Curt Russell, commanding officer of the Seattle-based Blue Angels Squadron Sea Cadet unit. “He can be counted on to take charge and lead when he needs to and he leads well by example.”

Waite is a junior at Bainbridge Island High School and has been a member of the Naval Sea Cadet Corps, Blue Angels Squadron since 2011.

The Naval Sea Cadet Corps is a federally chartered youth leadership program for ages 10 to 18 that is sponsored by the Navy League of the United States and officially supported by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard.