INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Noah Bogard was named Youth of the Year during the eighth annual Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year celebration at the Richardson Center at the Mueller Campus of Indian River State College on Feb. 16. Bogard is on the committee for the community service-focused Keystone Club and a freshman at Sebastian River High School.
Bogard was one of three nominees for the award, the others being DaShondra McGriff of the Vero Beach Club and freshman at the Freshman Learning Center, and Tamicha Laveus of the Fellsmere Club and an eighth grader at Sebastian River Middle School.
Youth of the Year is BGC of Indian River County’s premier youth recognition program for club members and is designed to recognize our most outstanding young people. Being named a Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year is the highest honor a club member can receive. Club members are judged on the following criteria: service to home and family; moral character; community service; school leadership and service; academic performance; service to the Boys & Girls Club; life goals; two written essays; and public speaking ability.
“The club means to me a place to come and be myself and be around friends that I have become close with. Coming here, I feel like I am a part of something. I am on a committee for Keystone, and I like that I have the opportunity to volunteer and make a difference. My goal is to join the Army, and I hope all that I have learned from being a part of this community will prepare me for the challenging life ahead”, Bogard explained as he accepted the award before a crowd of 145 attendants.
Michael Kint of the United Way, Chris Loftus, Co-Chair of the 2012 Annual United Way campaign, and Cindy Scherpf of the Rotary Club of Orchid Island and founder of Backpack Buddies, were judges for this year’s competition.
Local Clubs recognize members ages 14-18 who were Youths of the Month and select a Youth of the Year, who then participates in the state competition.
Five regional winners will each receive a $10,000 scholarship and compete at 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.
BGCA is proud to announce a new partnership with Marquette University. Youth of the Year winners on the organizational, state, regional and national level are now eligible to apply for a full-tuition scholarship to Marquette University.
For information on how you, your business or service organization might sponsor the local Youth of the Year program, please call Christina Bordonaro at (772) 299-7449.
