Our two state finalists, Johanna G., WA State Youth of the Year, and Sam C., WA Military Youth of the Year, made their way to Los Angeles to participate in the 2022 Pacific Region Youth of the Year. It was held May 11th. We are overjoyed that our Clubs had such amazing teens representing Washington State! We’d also like to congratulate Nicholas V. of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor and Liliana R. of JBER-Ft. Richardson Youth Program, 2022 Pacific Region Youth of the Year and 2022 Pacific Region Military Youth of the Year, respectively.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Conference took place in Chicago May 4-6. It was the first time in two years that the conference was held in person. Joy and excitement were palpable emotions as everyone gathered to hear an amazing set of guest speakers, including ABC News journalist John Quinones, actors Denzel Washington and Courtney B. Vance, NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and many others.
General Sessions were held where topics like “Nine Lies About Work” and “What Would You Do” were discussed. Concurrent sessions covered a range of other themes, equipping Club staff with new programs, skills and ideas to take home.
Clubs from across WA regularly travel to the National Conference to get inspired and network with Club professionals from across the country. Staff – both program and administrative – from a total of 12 out of the 14 Washington Club organizations were present for the 2022 Conference.
The Washington State Youth of the Year event kicked off on March 23rd at Boeing’s Future of Flight. Finalists and their advisors gathered for introductions and activities at Boeing’s Future of Flight Museum. This photo was taken right before the youth were released to enjoy a self-guided tour of the museum. Thank you Boeing for hosting us and providing a wonderful activity for the youth!
After a fun day of getting to know one another, the finalists hit the road in…a limo! The limo drove them around Seattle, stopping for frozen yogurt and photos at Kerry Park. The finalists all agreed at the end of Youth of the Year that the limo ride was the turning point in their relationships – it was where they all got to really open up and learn more about each other.
On Thursday, the finalists and their advisors met at Bell Harbor Convention Center in Seattle for the finalists’ individual interviews with the judges. After their interviews, finalists, family, advisors, sponsors, and other supporters all gathered at Bell Harbor for the Celebration Dinner where the 2022 WA State Youth of the Year and 2022 WA Military Youth of the Year were announced. Read their bios below.
Johanna G. is a member of the Mount Vernon Club of Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County. She is a senior at Mount Vernon High School and has been a Club member for 9 years. Joanna is or has been a member of Teen Leadership Group, a Power Hour Volunteer, Junior Staff, Smart Girls, Healthy Habits, and a Summer Staff Member during the Summer of 2021. Joanna’s community service spans from being vice president of Latinos in Action, PR Officer of Keystone Club, and a member of the ASB Senate. She has participated in food drives, donation drives for the Skagit Humane Society, toy drives, and spoke at Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County’s Gala and Annual Breakfast fundraisers. Joanna will be the first in her immediate family to attend college. She is undecided as to which college she will attend as she has been accepted into 6 WA state colleges, to include: PLU, SPU, EWU, CWU, WSU, Skagit Valley College, and Carroll College. She plans to study nursing to become a registered nurse.
Sam C. is a sophomore at Lakes High School and has been a Club member for 4 years. He is a member of the Hillside Youth Center/Teen Zone at Boys & Girls Clubs at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. He is president of Torch Club, Keystone, and Fine Arts Club. Fine Arts Club focuses on teaching youth a variety of art mediums. Sam has mentored Torch Club members and middle schoolers in planning and organizing events. He has also participated in clean ups, ran sound board for his school’s Fall Musical, as well as assisted with classes and sorted supplies for his school’s Arts & Crafts Center. Sam plans to attend Oklahoma State University and major in business. His career aspiration is to become an entrepreneur.
Thank you to all of our sponsors that made the 2022 Youth of the Year possible!
The Boeing Company awarded a $125,000 grant to four Boys & Girls Clubs in the greater Puget Sound for an innovative STEM Collaborative program in the 2021-22 school year. Each organization will receive a grant to promote hands-on STEM learning with elementary and middle school Club members, and to facilitate career exploration programming with Club teens. Boys & Girls Clubs in Bellevue, Seattle, Tacoma and Snohomish County will also work with one another to share best practices, program highlights and unique virtual engagement opportunities. Club kids will be able to learn from the Navy midshipmen in Everett, gaming design professionals in Bellevue, and Black leaders at Microsoft among others about exciting professional opportunities and pathways to fulfilling careers through virtual career fairs available to all Collaborative participants. This grant aims to serve 660 Club members with STEM activities, as well as equip Club staff and caregivers with additional competencies in guiding young people into a science and technology future.
For over a decade UnitedHealthcare and Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington have partnered on funding and implementing Club programs that positively impact the health and well-being of Club members. In 2022, UnitedHealthcare continues its focus on mental and behavioral health, and social and emotional learning of kids by providing grant funding to six Clubhouses throughout central Puget Sound. Clubs will utilize the funding to run mental resiliency and recovery programs such as yoga, mindfulness, conflict resolution and social-emotional learning.
For the past 8 years the Ford Motor Company Fund have partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Montana to provide funding for holiday feeding programs, bringing campaign total to nearly $750,000. Local Clubs partner with Ford dealers for matching programs, to serve holiday meals to Club families, and ensure that no Club family goes without healthy and nutritious food during the season.
Across the region, Ford Fund is working in several ways to address food access and insecurity. In the five-state Pacific Northwest Region, the organization has donated over $5.5 million, providing more than 10 million meals to various regional programs.
Boys & Girls Clubs find ways to address food insecurity for its members year-round, but especially during the holidays. Clubs bring Club kids and families together, provide meal kits for holiday breaks, and ensure that daily snacks and meals in our Clubs are nutritious, and support our Club members’ learning and physical activity needs.
In 2020 and 2021, Ford Fund has stepped up in additional ways to ensure Clubs had what they needed to assure health and safety of our staff and members. We are especially grateful to Ford Fund for the donation of over 250,000 disposable masks to all WA State locations.
