Youth of the Year Old
Youth of the Year Old
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.
About YOY
Youth of the Year (YOY) is an annual program of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. It is sponsored nationally by Toyota Financial and locally by businesses and committed individuals. Youth of the Year candidates are selected based on community service, Club service, school and life goals, along with written essays on Club Experience, Vision for America's Youth, and Personal Brand. In addition, candidates are judged on poise, self-confidence and public speaking.
Each Club works to identify those exceptional young adults who embody the traits that Boys & Girls Clubs works to instill in each of our 16,000+ members. Once selected, these teens begin a life-changing, six-month journey. They are challenged to explore their personal history, formative experiences, find meaning in their talents and challenges and share those with the world in a 3-minute speech. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley's Youth of the Year program requires a strong commitment from each student. They have the opportunity to develop their writing and presentation skills and engage in specialized workshops designed to help them find their unique *voice" and story to share with our prestigious judging panel.
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 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 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 Youth
2025 YOY Winner
Congratulations to the BGCAZ Youth of the Year 2024 - Amaya G. from the Louie & Elizabeth Sands Branch
Amaya has seven siblings, with another one on the way! She was born and raised in Arizona and wants to stay in her home state near the rest of her family after graduation. She aspires to attend NAU and enter the medical field, with a particular interest in ultrasound technology. The Club has been instrumental in encouraging Amaya to reach for the stars, helping her build confidence, express herself, and work towards her dreams.
