Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs’ highest honor, celebrating our most inspiring members. Youth of the Year recognizes outstanding leadership, academic excellence, and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
The honor is the end result of a year-long program that starts at the Club level. Each Club holds their own competition and names their own Youth of the Year in up to three categories: 10-13 year olds, Juniors (14-15), and Seniors (16-18). The winners advance to the Metro Denver competition. Senior winners can then advance to the state, regional, and national competition.
Achieving the title of Youth of the Year is no easy task. Candidates demonstrate their leadership and communication skills through an extensive application and interview process. Both Junior and Senior candidates are required to compile letters of recommendation and write essays about their Club experience, their vision for America’s youth, and their personal brand. Afterwards, candidates face a panel of judges, where their public speaking and presentation skills are put to the test.
The entire process is designed to help members reflect on their achievements and personal growth while offering real-world practice for future job interviews and college applications.
After the judging is complete, our Youth of the Year Club winners are celebrated at our annual Gala, a special event that raises support for Boys & Girls Club programming and benefits thousands of local youth. This year’s Gala will be held Saturday, May 19th at the Hyatt Regency Denver.
THIS YEAR’S BGCMD YOUTH OF THE YEAR WINNERS ARE:
Senior Winner: Malachi , Boettcher Boys & Girls Club
Junior Winner: Annabelle, Wilfley Boys & Girls Club
10-13 Winner: Angelina, Jefferson County Boys & Girls Club
THANK YOU TO OUR JUDGES
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver owes a great deal of gratitude to this year’s judges for volunteering their time and making the difficult decision of picking our Youth of the Year winners.