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Youth of the Year Profiles
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte is pleased to announce its 2009 Youth of the Year winners! Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Youth of the Year program, sponsored by the Reader's Digest Foundation, recognizes teens for outstanding contributions to a member's family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club, as well as personal challenges and obstacles overcome. Click below to read more about each Club's Youth of the Year, including Stephanie Herring, the Youth of the Year for the Davidson Club, who has also been selected as the Youth of the Year for Greater Charlotte.
Belmont: Aaron Long
Boulevard Homes: Gary Nixon
Center of Hope: Yakirah Davis
Davidson: Stephanie Herring
Dillehay Courts: Tyiste Hall
Marsh Road: Basha Hall
Milton Road: Jalen Chambers
Quail Hollow: Charisma Thomas
Belmont: Aaron Long
Aaron Long has been attending the Belmont Club for five years, and has been chosen as his Club's Youth of the Year.
Aaron is in the sixth grade, and has a 3.5 GPA. At school, he is a Big Brother for kindergarten students and is in the school band. He is enrolled in the Middle Years International Baccalaureate Program at his school.
At the Club, Aaron is known and loved by everyone. He is involved on the flag football team, the basketball team, and the Torch Club. Aaron is active at his church, is a member of the Boy Scouts, and also plays Pop Warner Football.
Aaron says of his Club, "My Club staff care what happens to me. Ms. Felicia even came to my school to talk to my teachers about what the Club can do to help me with my grades. With the help of the Club and my hard work, I brought my 2.0 GPA up to a 3.5."
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Boulevard Homes: Gary Nixon
Gary has been attending the Boulevard Homes Club for two years. He has been selected as the Youth of the Year for his Club.
Gary is a sophomore in high school. He is involved in the International Baccalaureate program at his school, and he thinks it is important to challenge himself with difficult courses.
As a member of the Club, Gary is a junior staff member and an active member of the Keystone Club. He attends the Club regularly and is often called upon to represent his Club at special events, including the recent Southeast Region Leadership Conference.
Gary says, "Being a teenager in my community, there are too many negative things going on that I could be a part of... but I choose not to be. The staff at the Club show and remind me that I have made a good decision not to be involved with those things each time I come to the Club. I am so glad to have the chance to be a part of what the Club offers."
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Center of Hope: Yakirah Davis
Yakirah attended the COH Club for six months. She has been chosen as her Club's Youth of the Year.
Yakirah is in the fourth grade, and recently received all A's on her report card. Although she is young, she is a bright spot in her family and Club. She helps others with their homework, she reads with those younger than her, and she encourages them to do the best they can.
In the Club, Yakirah was chosen to be a Club ambassador, which means when the Club has visitors, she shows them around and answers questions. She is involved in Bible study at the Club and participates in Power Hour daily.
Yakirah says about her Club, "It's nice to finally be a member of a Club. I like the Boys & Girls Club because there are wonderful friends and mentors there."
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Davidson: Stephanie Herring
Stephanie, a one-year member of the Davidson Club, has been named Youth of the Year for her Club, as well as Youth of the Year for the Charlotte BGC organization.
With neither of Stephanie's parents present in her life, Stephanie lived with her grandmother for several years before being placed in the foster care system. She is determined to not let her past affect her future negatively: she says that she is determined to be the first child in her family to graduate from college. She wants to be a psychologist who helps youth who struggle with the same problems she struggled with growing up.
Stephanie is currently the Ambassador of Service for her Club's Keystone Club. She organizes service projects for her Club to do, and she organizes the kitchen and snack program for the Club. Stephanie is involved in chorus at her school and is in the National Honor Society. She is also involved in the "Friends for Life" program at Petco, where she spends time on the weekends working with abandoned animals, helping to find them good homes. She also enjoys taking care of her pets, participating in yoga, and Pilates. She likes staying busy, and says that structure keeps her focused.
When asked the question, "What would you say today to a child who is going through the same problems you faced as a child?" Stephanie replied, "I would steer them into a Boys & Girls Club and tell them to get as involved as they can so they can stay off the streets and away from bad influences."
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Dillehay: Tyiste Hall
Tyiste has been attending the Dillehay Courts Club for two years and has been selected as the Youth of the Year for her Club. She was also chosen as a finalist for the Charlotte Youth of the Year competition.
Tyiste is a sophomore in high school and is currently ranked number one in her class of 563 students. She is in the International Baccalaureate program at her school, and is often selected to represent the school to talk to parents, visitors, and potential students. Tyiste is an extremely bright girl who hopes to receive a scholarship to attend Winston-Salem State University.
Tyiste is involved in many areas of her Club. She helps younger members during Power Hour, and she conducts a story time with the 6-9 year-olds in the Club. She also helps teach Bible lessons with the younger members, talking to them about what she learned the previous Sunday at church.
In her community, Tyiste is looked at as an inspiration. She encourages her friends to do the right thing and to do well in school. She says, "A little tough love doesn't hurt. I stay on my friends to be the best they can be."
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Marsh Road: Basha Hall
Basha Hall has been attending the Marsh Road Club for six years. She has been selected as the Youth of the Year for the Marsh Road Club, and was a finalist in the Charlotte Youth of the Year competition.
Basha is a junior in high school. She was selected to participate in the early college program at her school, where she takes AP level courses, as well as actual college courses. When she graduates from high school, she will already have a sophomore standing in college.
Growing up in a single-parent family, Basha took on the responsibility of helping her mother with her younger sister and with many household chores while her mother worked. She is involved in her church choir and a program at her church called "Sister to Sister," where she mentors younger girls to encourage them to do the right thing.
Basha is involved in many aspects at the Club. She serves as a junior staff member during the summer, working with kids in the youngest age group, she is a member of the Girl Guards troop and attended Guard Camp over the summer, and she has given HIV/AIDS education talks with groups at the Club during the Act SMART program.
Basha says, "I walked into the Boys & Girls Club when I was 10 years-old, thinking I would only be there for a summer. Six years later, here I am! The Club has provided me with opportunities that I never would have had otherwise."
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Milton Road: Jalen Chambers
Jalen has been selected as the Youth of the Year for the Milton Road Boys & Girls Club. He has been a member of the Club for almost two years.
Jalen is a sophomore in high school. He is involved in FFA, where he does various projects for his school such as plant sales and school landscaping projects. He is also an active member of FBLA.
At church, Jalen is in charge of the junior usher board. He is Vice President of the Youth Department at his church, and is currently running for president for the 2009 year. He assists with many outreach programs at his church, including toy drives and feeding hundreds of people at an annual Thanksgiving Dinner.
Jalen is a junior staff member at his Club, a member of the Keystone Club, and a member of the basketball team. Last year, he was awarded the "Sportsmanship Award" from his coach. He participated in the KaBoom! Playground build at his Club, and he also attended Youth Councils.
Jalen says, "As a teenager, relocating from another state is not easy, it's like starting over. The Boys & Girls Club helped me adjust. There I found another family. It was just the kind of place I needed to feel comfortable, loosen up, and make friends. The Club has given me many opportunities to serve in my community, attend Bobcats games, and participate in leadership roles."
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Quail Hollow: Charisma Thomas
Charisma has been attending the Quail Hollow Club for two years, and has been selected as her Club's Youth of the Year.
Charisma is in the seventh grade. At school, she is a morning announcer, she was in a musical play, and she excels in her school band and art classes. Charisma maintains a 4.0 GPA.
Outside of school, Charisma loves to read, sing, and swim. She is on a swim team at the Johnson YMCA, and she is involved in her church.
At the Club, Charisma was a member of the Club step team that won in two local competitions, she participates daily in Power Hour, and she is always willing to participate in new Club activities.
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