![YOY-Logo-Toyota-2019-CLR YOY-Logo-Toyota-2019-CLR](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/YOY-Logo-Toyota-2019-CLR-267x300.png)
Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier recognition program for Club members, promoting service to Club, community and family; academic success; strong moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking ability.
Locally, our Clubs recognize members who are high school sophomores through seniors to represent their Clubs at Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley annual competition. The winner of that title moves on to the state competition. State winners each receive a $1,000 scholarship and participate in regional competitions. Five regional winners each receive a $10,000 scholarship and compete on the national level. The National Youth of the Year receives up to an additional $50,000 scholarship and is installed by the President of the United States.
In the United States the statistic shows only 69% of our high school-aged youth are graduating. We are proud to say at Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley teens that are members have a 90% graduation rate! We focus on making sure that every member that attends the Club gets the support and academic resources necessary to progress from one grade to the next at the appropriate age and that they are graduating on time. Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley believe that continued education is just as important. We provide scholarship money to help get our teens into the trade schools or colleges of their dreams. Our annual Youth of the Year program raises the funds necessary to let this happen.
Meet the East Valley 2020 Youth of the Year Candidates
![Elaysia-Colt-Gila-River-Branch-Sacaton Elaysia-Colt-Gila-River-Branch-Sacaton](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Elaysia-Colt-Gila-River-Branch-Sacaton-circle.jpg)
Elaysia Colt
![Malajisa-Harris-Gilbert-Branch Malajisa-Harris-Gilbert-Branch](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Malajisa-Harris-Gilbert-Branch-circle.jpg)
Malajisa Harris
![Dylan-Heninger-Stevenson-Branch-Mesa Dylan-Heninger-Stevenson-Branch-Mesa](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Dylan-Heninger-Stevenson-Branch-Mesa-circle.jpg)
Dylan Heninger
![Natalia-Negrete-Ladmo-Branch-Tempe Natalia-Negrete-Ladmo-Branch-Tempe](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Natalia-Negrete-Ladmo-Branch-Tempe-circle.jpg)
Natalia Negrete
![Christina-Shultz-Thunderbirds-Branch-Guadalupe Christina-Shultz-Thunderbirds-Branch-Guadalupe](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Christina-Shultz-Thunderbirds-Branch-Guadalupe-circle.jpg)
Christina Shultz
![Serena-St-John-Superstition-Mountain-Branch-AJ Serena-St-John-Superstition-Mountain-Branch-AJ](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Serena-St-John-Superstition-Mountain-Branch-AJ-circle.jpg)
Serena St. John
![Elijah-Thurman-Chandler-Compadres-Branch Elijah-Thurman-Chandler-Compadres-Branch](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Elijah-Thurman-Chandler-Compadres-Branch-circle.jpg)
Elijah Thurman
![Cesar-Villasenor-Gila-River-Branch-Komatke Cesar-Villasenor-Gila-River-Branch-Komatke](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Cesar-Villasenor-Gila-River-Branch-Komatke-circle.jpg)
Cesar Villasenor
Meet the Metro Phoenix 2020 Youth of the Year Candidates
![YOY-Samia-Ruiz-2020 YOY-Samia-Ruiz-2020](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/YOY-Samia-Ruiz-2020-300x300-circle.jpg)
Samia Ruiz
![2020-YOY-11 2020-YOY-11](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-11-300x300-circle.jpg)
Isaac De Leon
![2020-YOY-4 2020-YOY-4](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-4-300x300-circle.jpg)
Elena Cortez
![2020-YOY-9 2020-YOY-9](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-9-300x300-circle.jpg)
Jayvion Kelly
![2020-YOY-8 2020-YOY-8](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-8-300x300-circle.jpg)
Alexis "Chico" Gonzales
![2020-YOY-3 2020-YOY-3](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-3-300x300-circle.jpg)
Rebeca Sanchez
![2020-YOY-10 2020-YOY-10](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-10-300x300-circle.jpg)
Alex Sosa
![2020-YOY-7 2020-YOY-7](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-7-300x300-circle.jpg)
Symphonee Montoya
![2020-YOY-5 2020-YOY-5](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-5-300x300-circle.jpg)
Demarion Ricks
![2020-YOY-6 2020-YOY-6](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-6-300x300-circle.jpg)
Kayla Phan
![2020-YOY-2 2020-YOY-2](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-2-300x300-circle.jpg)
Shirley Windley
![2020-YOY-1 2020-YOY-1](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2020-YOY-1-300x300-circle.jpg)
Aleea Tenakhongva
Thank you to our Supporting Partners
![2020-YOY-Sponsors-1 2020-YOY-Sponsors-1](https://www.bgcaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2020-YOY-Sponsors-1-scaled.jpg)