On Thursday, February 27, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana (NWI) held its annual Youth of the Year Event at Avalon Manor in Merrillville. Nine teenage Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI members from throughout Lake and Porter Counties were nominated as Youth of the Year candidates. Each candidate presented a brief speech that illustrated how they have overcome hardships and outlined the ways that their experiences at their respective Clubs have positively affected them. They spoke before an audience of over 300 individuals, including Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI staff, business executives, elected officials, and other community members. This premier event was free of charge, open to the public, and sponsored by organizations such as presenting sponsors Toyota of Merrillville, M.E. Simpson Company Inc., and Powers Health.
The nine members were selected as candidates on the basis of their character and the leadership skills they exhibited at their Clubs. The candidates were then paired with a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI’s Professionals Advancing Local Success (PALS) group. The PALS, local young professionals oversaw the candidates’ preparation for the Youth of the Year contest. This included in-depth dinner etiquette training, resume building, and interview and public speaking training. The candidates also submitted several essays and participated in interviews with a panel of judges.
According to Mike Jessen, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI, the Youth of the Year event exhibits all of the great things the Clubs have to offer their young members.
“This event is the highlight of the year, without question,” Jessen said. “It’s a great demonstration of our PALS group’s effectiveness and it really helps illustrate how the Clubs have positively affected the kids. I believe that the work being done on a daily basis at our Clubs is incredibly impactful and I’m glad that the guests here tonight have a chance to get some exposure to it. I want as many people as possible to witness these kids develop and shine brightly at this event tonight, because there is no better way to tell what I consider to be the greatest story on Earth.”
The winner and runner-up of the Youth of the Year event would receive a $5,000 scholarship and a $2,500 scholarship respectively, while the other seven candidates would receive $1,250 scholarships each. Horizon Bank, Larson-Danielson Construction, and Notre Dame Federal Credit Union contributed scholarship funds. The candidates also received gift backpacks containing flowers, new iPads, visa and Amazon giftcards, and Boys & Girls Clubs swag in addition to scholarships from Calument College and Future Cycle Breakers. Each candidate proceeded to share their stories with a touching mix of emotion and humor as the audience encouraged them with enthusiastic applause.
Jason Lammertin, owner and CEO of Solid Platforms and a Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI board member, was himself a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI’s Valparaiso location as a child. As a former “Club Kid," Lammertin deeply appreciates being involved in the Youth of the Year event.
“The Youth of the Year event is not just important for the Boys & Girls Club, it’s important for the community too,” Lammertin said. “It is of the utmost importance that we invest in the youth of our community. Tonight we are celebrating the young people that we have invested so much of our time and effort into. This event is about building up our youth into leaders and ensuring that they will grow up to pass on the principles the Club has instilled in them to future generations. That objective is very near and dear to our hearts. I consider it an honor and a privilege to be here tonight.”
The event also featured a donation bidding segment, during which nearly $40,000 was raised for the benefit of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI. For the first time in Youth of the Year’s over 20-year run, students from the Best Buy Tech Teen Center at the John Will Anderson Boys & Girls Club in Gary were onsite to offer their services. This organization enables Club members to develop technological skills that they can carry with them throughout life. The Best Buy Tech Teen Center members took video footage of the event and recorded podcast segments with the event attendees. Porter Co. Career and Technical Education students were also on hand to film and will create an event video for the organization.
Josh Schoon, project executive at Berglund Construction, a Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI board member, and vice chair of membership for PALS, is pleased to support the candidates and represent PALS at the Youth of the Year event.
“This is probably the most inspiring night of the year for me,” Schoon said. “I’m excited to be here tonight as a PALS member. This is one of our biggest initiatives of the year. Few organizations offer opportunities for young professionals to get involved as the Boys & Girls Clubs does. Young professionals’ ability to get involved with the community pairs nicely with the great work that the Boys & Girls Club is doing. The kids’ willingness to speak in front of over 300 people is a testament to their confidence and courage. On behalf of my fellow PALS, I would like to say congratulations to all of the candidates. We’re very proud of them.”
James Adams Jr. of the Hammond Club received the Youth of the Year Award, while Andrea Roscoe of the John Will Anderson Gary Club was given the runner-up Youth of the Year Award. As the winner of the evening, Adams will go on to participate in the Boys & Girls Club’s Youth of the Year Award state competition in Indianapolis. Should he win there as well, he will go on to compete at the Youth of the Year Midwest Regional and National levels of the competition.
You can learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI’s upcoming projects and events by visiting bgcgreaternwi.org.