Lopez represents BGCFDL at Statewide Youth of the Year Competition

Representing our Boys & Girls Club at this year’s Statewide Youth of the Year competition was our 2019-20 Youth of the Year, sophomore Paulina Lopez. Paulina was chosen to represent our Boys & Girls Club because of her overall commitment she has shown to the Club! She has been a great leader among her peers throughout her time as a member, gets involved in her community by volunteering at events, and has been involved within the Club community by being a mentor to younger club members.

Accompanying Paulina on the trip to Madison was our Junior Youth of the Year, Kamea Wyatt. Kamea is an 8th grader at STEM academy and over the past year has been an incredible contributor to the positive afterschool environment in the Teen Center. She leads by positive example not only to her Club peers but her siblings as well. Kamea has also been involved in many of the programs and sports we offer at Club, her favorites being basketball and volleyball.

Prior to this competition, Youth of the Year were required to fill out an application and submit three essays for review. At the competition, Paulina and 17 other Youth of the Year in our state each gave a speech detailing their Club experiences and why they should be chosen as the Wisconsin’s Youth of the Year. They were then interviewed by a panel of judges to answer additional questions related to the content in their speech and application. The top four were then given an opportunity to speak at the Youth of the Year Gala and dinner which took place on the evening of the competition. The winner of the competition was announced following the speeches at the dinner. 

Paulina did an excellent job in the competition. We are very proud of both Paulina and Kamea and how well they represent our Boys & Girls Club. They made a lot of new friends and memories through this experience, their futures are very bright and we are confident they will be successful in anything that they push themselves to do.

Special thank you to all board members and staff who made the trip to Madison to be there for our youth!