Jaguars Linebacker & Food Network Chef Honor Young Local Leaders
Jacksonville Jaguars Outside Linebacker Arden Key and Food Network Winner Chef Amadeus will represent Boys & Girls Clubs alumni at the upcoming 2023 Youth of the Year Awards Ceremony and Alumni Club Reception.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida will announce their 2023 Youth of the Year winners, the organization’s highest honor for young leaders, at the awards ceremony banquet on Feb. 23 at the Florida Blue Conference Center.
More than 300 guests will join the 50 kids and teens nominated for this prestigious honor. Guests and Youth of the Year nominees attending the ceremony with their families and mentors will enjoy a welcome from Boys & Girls Clubs alumnus Arden Key and an inspirational message from Food Network Extreme Chef Winner Chef Amadeus.
"During middle school I spent my afternoons at the Boys & Girls Club in Conyers, Georgia, where I got to hang out with lots of different kids. They always made sure we did our homework first, and counselors were always available when we needed to talk. I'm proud to support Boys & Girls Clubs," said Key.
Chef Amadeus attended the Laurence F. Lee Boys & Girls Club which opened in 1966 as the inaugural Boys Club in Jacksonville. The Lee Club was later renovated and renamed as the Citi Teen Center in 2019 as the first stand-alone teen center specifically designed to serve ages 13-18 after school and during the summer.
Chef Amadeus credits the Club with inspiring him to dream big while also teaching him to set goals for academic and personal achievement. He recalls that the most meaningful aspect of his Club Experience was connecting with mentors and friends who would help him become the man he is today.
Chef Amadeus was the winner of the Food Network’s Extreme Chef Mexican Showdown and has since led several local and regional culinary groups across Northeast Florida. His love of different cuisines and travel grew into a passion for cooking when he joined the U.S. Navy in 1986.
He enjoys mentoring high school culinary students and regularly contributes his time to nonprofit organizations. He is also a Culinary Instructor at the University of Florida.
To engage more inspiring Boys & Girls Clubs alumni like Amadeus and Key, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida recently kicked off their Alumni Club as an opportunity for former Club members to network with others in the region while reconnecting to the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs.
“I’m excited for this new opportunity to give back to the kids and teens in our region through the Alumni Club. I remember what it was like to have encouraging people who believed in me and helped me succeed, and I want to do that for these kids who need it most,” Amadeus said.
Amadeus, Key and others from this group will be inducted into the Alumni Club at the upcoming Alumni Reception, sponsored by VyStar Credit Union, preceding the Youth of the Year Awards Ceremony on Feb. 23. Anyone who previously attended Boys & Girls Clubs, even Clubs outside of the Northeast Florida region, is encouraged to join the Alumni Club by filling out a brief survey at bgcnf.org/alumni.
“As a Club alumnus, I believe in the power of giving back to help these kids who are sitting where we once were. We are eager to hear inspiring stories from our Club alumni, but we are even more excited about the impact they will have on the lives of our kids and teens,” said Paul Martinez, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida.
Each year, all 48 Clubs that make up Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida nominate up to three Youth of the Year candidates for elementary school, middle school and high school categories. These Youth of the Year nominees represent their Boys & Girls Club in this competition, celebrating Club members’ academic achievements, leadership abilities and communication skills.
The rigorous selection process includes public speaking, personal essays and panel interviews with Youth of the Year Judges who select the most qualified finalist to serve as a role model, ambassador and spokesperson for Boys & Girls Clubs and their members.
This year’s nominees have worked tirelessly over the past few months and represent the positive voice and spirit of hope for Northeast Florida.
All nominees will be honored, and the winners will be announced in each age category at the Youth of the Year Awards Ceremony on Feb. 23.
For 60 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida has enabled young people to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Our 48 Clubs serve more than 4,800 young people each day in Alachua, Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties.
Our Boys & Girls Clubs provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs during critical non-school hours and during the summer.
Club programs promote five core areas: character and leadership, education and workforce readiness, the arts, health and wellness, and sports and recreation. In a Harris Survey of Boys & Girls Clubs alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. Learn more at bgcnf.org