We have 14 incredible youth from across the state that are heading to western Washington the week of March 23rd to tell their stories. Read more about these amazing teens below.
Raul is from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue’s Lake Hills Club. A high school junior, and Club member for 7 years, Raul helped his younger youth counterparts over the summer with reading and art activities. He is active in several Clubs including Workforce and Career Readiness programming, Seed Spot, Teen Tech Center, and Keystone. Raul has given 203 hours of his personal time in the last year to volunteer. He will be the first in his family to attend college and plans on attending the University of Washington to study to become a doctor.
Robert represents the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties. A member for 11 years, he’s very active in his Club and community. Serving as Keystone Club Vice President, Robert was selected as one of 12 teens across the nation to help plan and execute the 2025 National Keystone Conference in Chicago. Over 9 months, he collaborated with fellow teens and BGCA staff. He led the design and implementation of a wellness space called Chill Zone which supported teens’ mental health through sensory tools, calming activities, and on-site support staff. Working towards being the first in his family to attend college, Robert plans to attend Gonzaga University and study business administration.
Tristan is from Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin. Tristan has been a Club member for 7 years, participating in many Club activities, and recently chosen to join his Club’s TLC (Think Learn Create) Advocacy Cohort. In this capacity, he’ll work with his teen counterparts to develop a community service project, strengthening leadership and advocacy skills. He’ll then travel to Washington DC with his fellow Club teens to present their community service project and advocate at the Capitol on issues impacting youth in Moses Lake and Grant County. Tristan wants to become a chef/restaurant owner and plans to pursue his education at Seattle Pacific University.
A Club member for 8 years, Japna is from Boys & Girls Clubs of King County’s Ballard Club. Japna has served as a counselor-in-training for 3 summers being a role model to younger members. She’s a Youth Ocean Advocate for the Seattle Aquarium where she interacts with guests, helping them learn about ocean life. Japna also volunteers at Khalsa Gourmet Center and is a law intern for GLP Attorneys. Her plans involve furthering her education at Georgetown University by studying psychology and political science with the ultimate aspiration to become a lawyer.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula’s finalist is Deo. A senior, Deo has served or is currently serving as Keystone President, Vice President, and Secretary. He was the previous Torch Club secretary and vice president. For nearly the past 6 years, Deo has served the Olympic Theatre Arts as a stage manager, makeup artist, actor, playwright, and director. When he was 17, he published a novel and is working to be able to publish his second one by the end of the year. Deo wants to study English at WSU to ultimately be a teacher as well as maintain his author status.
Sophomore Gavin is from Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County’s Sedro Woolley Club. His leadership skills range from patiently explaining the rules during Triple Play, assisting with the Golf Tournament of Skagit County and his organization’s yearly Great Futures Gala. He’s given 121 hours of his personal time to volunteer. Gavin wants to be an architectural engineer with plans to attend the University of Washington.
Desiring to become an aerospace engineer, high school senior Cody is from Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County’s Snohomish Club. Cody has been a Club member for 10 years and mentors his younger member counterparts. He also volunteers in his community, recently helping to create a fundraiser to assist families whose SNAP benefits were cut, facing food insecurity. Along with his brother, Cody was selected as a “player of the game” during a Friday night lights football game by KRKO Radio Station.
A Club member for 11 years, high school senior Mo is the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound’s finalist. They’re from the Gonyea Club. Mo has tutored younger Club members during Power Hour, volunteered at Girls STEAM Camp and STEAM Saturdays where they encouraged and instructed younger kids on STEAM activities. They were also a graphic design and marketing intern for the Washington State History Museum. Mo will be the first in their family to attend college and desires to pursue business marketing at UW-Tacoma to ultimately become a graphic designer and marketer.
Coming to you from Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington, Emelia plans to attend the University of Hawaii and major in business with the goal of becoming a marketing manager. Relatively new to the Club, she’s quite active—participating in monthly park clean-ups and managing a community food drive benefiting Cascadia Tech families. Emelia was also the teen advocate for her organization’s Youth Partnership Day, helping to solicit over $100,000 in funds for her Club.
Hadley’s connection to the Boys & Girls Club began 12 years ago, and she has grown from a participant into a leader, even helping launch a new Club in Thurston County in 2021. A two-year varsity basketball cheerleader and dedicated student, she demonstrates strong teamwork and commitment. Hadley is actively involved in theater at Rochester High School and Centralia College, contributing through acting, set design, and as an assistant director, while also supporting casting efforts. She is engaged in LINK Crew, multiple leadership clubs and has been a consistent member of Torch Club, Smart Girls, and Healthy Habits. Through her leadership, creativity, and service, Hadley has exemplified the values a Youth of the Year must promote.
Helen is the Boys & Girls Club of the Yakama Nation’s finalist. Helen is a junior and serves on their school’s speech and debate team. Helen is extremely talented—they play flute, sing, and act, feeling at home in front of audiences and expressing their passions through songs and stories. They are also active in their community, like partnering with Yakama Nation Behavioral Health and teaching students the Native American flute alongside resiliency and perseverance. They’ve raised money for their Club and are also the junior drum major in their high school band. Helen plans to study law at Harvard.
2026 Military Youth of the Year Finalists:
Military finalist Lisa represents Naval Air Station Whidbey Island’s Youth Center. Lisa is 16 years old, mentors the younger kids at her Club, serves as Keystone President, and volunteers in her community. She’s done clean-ups, made blankets for the local nursing home, and has made care packages for the military. Lisa is the oldest of 5 children and knows sign language due to her mother being hard of hearing. She wants to study psychology at Western Governor’s University to ultimately become a licensed family and marriage therapist.
From JBLM’s Hillside Youth Center, Peyton is a sophomore and president of her Keystone Club. She mentors younger Club members by supporting Torch Club. Peyton was able to fundraise by generating support for her Club. She was selected to serve on the Joint Services Teen Council where her leadership service won her a $1,500 grant. After presenting in Washington DC, she was invited to submit a community project proposal. Peyton proposed a calming garden, with things like benches and plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. This proposal landed her an additional grant for $2,500. Peyton will be the first in her family to attend college and has her sights set on the University of Alabama to study early child development and education.
Hailing from the Admiral Boorda Teen Center on Naval Base Kitsap, Brodie has been a Club member for 14 years and wake surfing for 10! Brodie’s volunteer and leadership activities span from being Keystone President, fundraising for his Club, being a camp counselor to 5th graders, and facilitating Passport to Manhood. He also launched Junior Youth of the Year within the Naval Base Kitsap School Age Care Programs. Brodie wants to attend UW to work towards becoming an elementary school principal.
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