By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)- The Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii (BGCH) will host its annual Youth of the Year event on Saturday, March 14th at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel. Sponsored by Jack in the Box and Honolulu Star Advertiser, the event will take place in the Grand Ballroom from 11 am to 2 pm. An expected 400 guests will be present to celebrate BGCH youth who inspire others with their leadership, resilience and service to others.
Part of the national Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s initiative, the annual Youth of the Year competition is a premier recognition program for exemplary Club members, promoting service to their Club; community and family; academic success; strong moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking ability.
Eight candidates from BGCH’s eight Clubhouses on Oahu and Kauai gear up for the speech competition by participating in the Youth of the Year Academy program. Led by the Alliance Board, a group of young professional volunteers, the program is designed to help young candidates prepare for the Youth of the Year competition as well as for their futures. The Academy focuses on three specific areas: essays, interview skills and public speaking.
Candidates deliver their speeches during a competition on February 21st. The competition will be held at Punahou School’s Wo Auditorium and is open to the public. Three finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges to share their stories at the Youth of the Year event on March 14th.
At this year’s luncheon, guests will hear the three finalists’ touching stories about rising through poverty, family dysfunction, substance abuse and hopelessness to become model citizens of society— and how BGCH has brought them to a place of growth. Guests will also hear messages of encouragement from guest speakers and talk story with BGCH youth to learn first-hand how the Club impacts our young people.
The winner of the event will receive scholarship money and a chance to compete in the regional Youth of the Year competition. For more information on BGCH’s Youth of the Year Luncheon, call Jennifer Freas at 949-4203 or email jfreas@bgch.org. Also visit www.bgch.com/2015YOY.
About Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii
Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii (BGCH) is a non-profit organization serving over 14,000 youngsters ages 7 to 17 annually on Oahu and Kauai, with the mission to inspire and enable youth to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. BGCH Clubhouses and outreach sites provide affordable membership and guidance-oriented development programs that emphasize healthy lifestyles, good character & citizenship, and academic success. BGCH is an affiliate of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and has been operating in Hawaii since 1976. For more information, visit www.bgch.com or call (808) 949-4203.