Alexis Labarrete belted out songs before she could clearly pronounce the words.

As a youngster she would listen to her mother, Chona Clippinger, and her band practice.  When the band finished playing, Alexis would perform. 

"She would pick up the microphone and dance around the room," said Clippinger, the wife of Fort Lewis' Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donald Clippinger. "She could hardly say any of the words."

Alexis has come a long way since then.  By age 3, she could imitate the original singers and belt out entire songs.  By age 7, she competed in her first competition, placing third.  She continued to compete and always placed.  Recently, at age 18, her hard work has culminated with a place in the finals in a national singing competition.

Called Operation Rising Star, the competition is hosted by Morale, Welfare and Recreation and is modeled after "American Idol." It is open to active duty, reserve, and National Guard, and their family members who are 18 years and older.

To make the finals, which were held at Fort Belvoir, Va., Alexis won the installation level competition at Fort Lewis, one of several worldwide sites that hosts the program.  As the first place winner, Alexis, who has eight siblings and three step-siblings who all sing, won $500 and a chance to compete against the top 12 contestants to become the 2009 Rising Star.

Alexis performed the song "Listen" by Beyonce at the competition.  As the youngest performer at the competition, people were surprised when they heard her voice, she said.

"People came up to me and said they could not believe that voice came out of my mouth," Alexis said. "I got a lot of good comments.  I had so much fun. "

The competition helped the Graham Kapowsin High School senior realize one of many dreams she has as a singer.

"I wanted to do Rising Star when I heard about it, because it is kind of like ‘American Idol,'" said Alexis, who listens to Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Christina Aguilera. "Someday I want to be on ‘American Idol' or record my own songs."

Although she hasn't landed a spot on "American Idol" yet, she plans to join the Air Force and become a registered nurse - and to continue to sing, she said. 

"Singing makes me feel proud and happy," Alexis said. "It gives me energy and makes me feel peaceful."