2023 Youth of the Year Winner Spotlights
Congratulations to our 2023 Youth of the Year winners! All three local Youth of the Year winners attend THE PLAYERS Championship (TPC) Boys & Girls Club in St. Augustine.
The winners are Ambrosia C. for the high school category, Tyler H. for middle school and Jordyn W. for elementary.
Scroll to hear more from each of these amazing young leaders about their Boys & Girls Club experience.
AMBROSIA C.
2023 YOUTH OF THE YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
What the Club Means to Me:
The goal at each Boys & Girls Club is that the staff, teachers and Unit Director are always there to push young people to become the best version of themselves. For me, that's what this Club is about. The Club has not only made me the best version of myself, but it has also made quite an amazing impact on my life.
I have learned so much from the teachers and leaders at Boys & Girls Clubs. I'm especially grateful for them teaching me it's OK to ask for help when I need it. Over the years, they led me on the right path, showing me how to be strong and independent. I learned how to be fully honest – not just with others, but with myself, realizing that doing the right thing (even when no one was watching) would earn me respect and honor amongst my peers and leaders. I learned that integrity takes you so much farther in life than shortcuts.
I specifically want to thank Mrs. Welch and Mr. Griffin for being there for me through the good and the bad, being a shoulder to lean on when I had no one else. These incredible adults at the Boys & Girls Club show us love, kindness and compassion, but most importantly, discipline. When I was younger, I didn't necessarily understand that part, but as I've grown and matured, I now value that they have instilled this discipline in me.
If not for the Club:
If not for this Club, I know there are many kids and teens who would get into trouble out on the streets. Instead, these young people have a safe, fun place to be after school where they get their academic and emotional needs met. For this, I say "thank you." You choose to lend a helping hand and show all young people in your Clubs that they have a chance at being their best selves and dreaming big, no matter how out of reach their dreams may seem. You encourage them that they can do anything they put their minds to doing!
TYLER H.
2023 YOUTH OF THE YEAR, MIDDLE SCHOOL
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
What the Club Means to Me:
From the day I set foot in the Boys and Girls Club, I felt like I belonged here. To me, the Boys and Girls Club is so much more than an after-school and summer program for kids, it is a place where young people can find themselves and be inspired to fulfill their potential.
My goal is to always make anyone who enters this building feel like they belong and are part of something great, because I never know if I will be that one person who changes someone's life. That is what keeps me excited about being a part of this amazing Club.
Boys and Girls Clubs provides help with academics, and the teachers help with homework. But I believe the real value is in the experiences we have outside of the classroom. One of my favorite things we did a couple years ago was our STEM robotics team. We even had the local newspaper come out when our Club team entered the St. Johns Robotics Challenge and won the Core Values Award.
Unique Experiences through Summer Field Trips:
Over the summer, we get to do so many amazing things. Boys and Girls Clubs has a camp in Nassau County called Camp Deep Pond. That's where I learned how to canoe for the first time. I also learned archery and a game called "gaga ball", similar to dodgeball except the ball has to stay on the ground.
Last summer, we also went to downtown St. Augustine and learned about the history of surfing. Then, they took us to the beach, and we actually learned how to surf! That day was one of my best memories.
Staff Mentors:
My favorite adults at the Boys and Girls Club are Ms. Welch, the Unit Director, and Coach Penn, the Teen Room Leader. From the minute I met Coach, we had a connection. My dad is a truck driver, and I don't get to see him as often as I'd like because he's on the road a lot.
Coach Penn is always there for me no matter what. He takes an interest in me as a person and doesn't just see me as a kid. He treats me with respect, as if we are on the same level. Not only is he caring, he's also supportive of my ideas and expresses an interest in what I have to say. Because he cares about me, he knows when I'm not doing my best and holds me to a high standard, which I respect.
Enrichment Through The Arts & Sports:
Coach Penn is the reason I know how to play golf. In fact, I'm the Golf Captain, and I help arrange our golf games at the Brentwood Golf Course in Jacksonville, using golf clubs provided by Boys and Girls Clubs.
Another thing I've gotten to do that I don't think I would have ever been able to do without the Club is travel to Flagler College to work with a professor who teaches us about art and helps us create unique projects.
My time in the Boys and Girls Club has given me a purpose with the time I spend after school and during the summer.
JORDYN W.
2023 YOUTH OF THE YEAR, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
What the Club Means to Me:
In my time at the Boys and Girls Club, I have had some wonderful experiences, and I am very thankful for the time I have spent there after school and during the summer. The Boys and Girls Club gives me a sense of belonging and friendships I wouldn't necessarily have if I wasn't able to come here each day.
In thinking about what the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Florida means to me, the first thing that comes to my mind is all the sports and outdoor fun we have. The reason this excites me so much is that I have an opportunity to interact with other kids my age instead of having to go home where there aren't any kids to play and have fun with like there are at the Boys and Girls Club.
With all the fun and learning I have experienced at the Boys and Girls Club, I am excited to see what will happen as I grow older and get to participate in the Club as a teenager. I've formed friendships that I want to continue to keep for the rest of my life! I want to thank the Boys and Girls Club for everything they've done for me and for things they will continue to do over the next several years.
Academic Enrichment:
We don't just play around at the Boys and Girls Club. We work with teachers to learn strategies that help us with our schoolwork. One of the teachers at the Club, Ms. Morse, has really helped me because she was able to explain math to me like no other teacher has before. The way she showed me how to do my math made sense, and I am feeling more confident in math now.
Staff Mentors:
One of the biggest reasons I love the Boys and Girls Club is Ms. Welch, the Unit Director. She is my favorite adult at the Club because she truly cares about all the kids who come here. She's strict, but also very loving and caring. Over the last few years, I have formed a good relationship with her and appreciate everything she has done for me and for the other kids at the Club, too. She's the one who makes sure we get to go on fun field trips and have the best gifts at Christmas. She even thinks about things like extra food and hygiene products. I believe that she truly cares about us and wants us to have not only things we need but also the things we want.
Thank You, Sponsors!
