Fort Collins, CO, March 31 – Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County (BGCLC) is excited to celebrate two outstanding Larimer County youth who recently received prestigious Youth of the Year recognition. The winning Senior Youth of the Year is Genesis, an 8th-grade student who attends Sage Homes Wellington Club. The winning Junior Youth of the Year is Camden, a 4th grader attending Edmondson Elementary Club.
Winners were selected during an event on February 23 in partnership with Colorado State University (CSU) and Front Range Community College (FRCC). It featured a campus experience for Club families, lunch, an intro from the 2024 state-wide Youth of the Year winner, a panel discussion with CSU and FRCC students, and the competition. During the competition, members were introduced by their Club Directors before giving culminating speeches in front of a crowd of nearly 200 people made up of families, friends, community members, and staff.
Genesis will receive $19,000 in academic scholarships from CSU, FRCC, and BGCLC for her future education endeavors. She will also participate in the state-wide Youth of the Year April 6-8 where she will compete to be recognized as Youth of the Year for the state of Colorado, an honor that includes additional academic scholarships and the chance to compete nationally.
The Youth of the Year competition is a national Boys & Girls Clubs of America initiative to foster a new generation of leaders fully prepared to live and lead in a diverse, global, and integrated economy. The Senior Youth of the Year winner, Genesis, will be celebrated at Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County’s annual Spring Soirée in May.
Special thank you to our judges: Fred Abramowitz (Attorney, Abramowitz & Franks and BGCLC Board Member), Paul Benson (Retired HR Executive and BGCLC Board Member), Lilian Clemente, (Executive Vice President and CCO, FRCC), Nashara Ellerbee (2024 State YoY Winner and CSU student), Dr. Rickey Frierson (Assistant Vice President for Strategic Student Success Initiatives, CSU), Blanche Hughes (VP of Student Affairs, CSU) and Pete Meyer (Vice President of Real Estate Services, CSU STRATA and BGCLC Board Member)
Senior Youth of the Year Winner: Genesis
Genesis has been a wonderful addition to the Sage Homes Wellington Club over the last couple of years. She demonstrates all of the qualities that being a Club member is about: honesty, respect, hard work, and an open heart. These qualities are not only shown at the Club but are also reflected in her school work, after-school activities, and in her high standards for herself and her future. Genesis sees herself becoming a vet when she is older because of her great love of animals. She will compete in the state-wide Youth of the Year competition in April.
Junior Youth of the Year Winner: Camden
Camden is an exceptional leader at the Edmondson Club. She is a role model for Cub expectations and good character for other members. According to her Club staff, Camden is always so enthusiastic about our programs and encourages others to participate. Camden sees herself being a teacher because she loves to help teach younger kids new subjects including math, science, history, Spanish literacy, and reading.
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About Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County
The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County is to enable all young people, especially those who need them most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The Club environment consists of a safe place, staffed by trained professionals, offering diverse & inclusive youth development programs to youth ages 5-18. They strive to provide a Club experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors. In Larimer County, they are the most affordable, comprehensive, facility-based, out-of-school program that includes meals, positive youth development programming, mentoring, and mental health services. BGCLC provides services in Fort Collins, Estes Park, Loveland, and Wellington and serves over 2,000 youth annually. Thank you to our major partners: Dohn Construction, Bank of Colorado and PFS Insurance, Sage Homes LLC., Andrew Shafer Visuals, High Country Beverage, Dutch Bros Coffee, and Pedersen Toyota.