Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia 2005 Youth of the Year

Each spring, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia chooses an outstanding young man and young woman from each Club to participate in the Youth of the Year program. These teen members go through a rigorous evaluation process that encompasses ten areas, including recommendations, school transcripts, and essays. They are then interviewed by a panel of judges, who select a winner and runner-up. The winner moves onto the state competition in May. Please meet our 2005 Youth of the Year winners.

	Lorenzo Byrd (Frankford ) After graduating from Frankford High this June, Lorenzo will conclude his years in Junior ROTC and basketball, and move on to Penn State-Abington so he can realize his goal of becoming a Physical Education teacher. Lorenzo has participated fully in Northeast Frankford’s Keystone Club, serving as its treasurer, and has prepared for his career by spending his summer as a Counselor In Training, working at the Club’s summer camp. Writing about the Club, Lorenzo says, “Bottom line – it is a fun place to be. The Club is a second home to me … I consider the Club a getaway sometimes because I wake up in a world that is horrible. The Club makes me feel that the world isn’t that bad … the Club has people who are about doing the right thing.”
Aixa Flores (West Kensington) A natural leader, Aixa is the Keystone Club president at Mariana Bracetti Charter Academy and active in a variety of community service projects. Mastering English after coming from Puerto Rico at age 10 has been a challenge, and Aixa applies herself to school and Club resources to continually improve. She has her sights set on medical school and a career as a surgeon. The eldest of five, Aixa distinguishes herself with her can-do attitude at home, school and the Club, where she serves as a mentor at Cramp Elementary, supporting a school-age child who, like Aixa, has to work hard to succeed in an English-speaking school setting while communicating only in Spanish at home.
	Andrew Garson (Bridesburg) Among Andy’s many interests is the science of robotics, and he has been active in Central High’s Robotics Club. He also used the Club’s computer lab to pursue his strong interest in computer programming, and has become expert in creating websites. Andy’s academic achievements include being named a Barnwell Scholar and White-Williams Scholar, and he is in the top 8% of his graduating class. This outstanding record, and a transcript filled with AP courses, has him headed to Drexel University’s College of Engineering in the fall. Andy says, “the Club allowed me to become interested in what I now plan to dedicate my life to studying,” and “it is a wonderful place for kids to be themselves and to become who they will be later in life.” Andy credits the Club with bringing him together with a variety of people, with the result being that he has become much more outgoing.
Amber Glenn (Germantown) With all the activities offered by Girls’ High and Germantown Boys & Girls Club, Amber challenges herself to participate with enthusiasm while balancing both evenly. While her testimonial letters all mention her outgoing personality, in her own essay Amber wrote, “I am not good at meeting or socializing with new people, and the Club helped me to overcome that fear.” Clearly it has been effective, and Amber counts on the teen leaders to help her with homework now and then, which supports her success in school. “The Club is a refuge to me,” she says; “to have a place to go after school and do productive work means a lot to me. It lets me know someone cares about my future as much as I do.” This sophomore is looking toward a bachelor’s and master’s degree in psychology.
	Jonathan Gonzalez (West Kensington) An alumnus of an out-of-state Boys & Girls Club, Jonathan knew how to use the West Kensington Club to help him make a challenging family transition. A junior at Mariana Bracetti Charter Academy, Jonathan is focused on college and success in business while maintaining an exemplary level of community service. He also serves as a mentor to elementary school children, and can pass along his outstanding organizational skills, which help him to maintain a B average and get the most out of the math and science classes he enjoys. Jonathan says, “the Club has shown me how to be a good person and how to lead my peers to a positive direction.”
Brittany Griffin (Bridesburg) Fashion design is Brittany’s career interest, and this well-rounded Central High senior discovered her talent for art could take her far when she was moved up from Art 2 to Art 4 as a sophomore, and she now is at the Advanced Placement level. She plans to attend art school in the fall. Among many school- and Club-based projects she has participated in with great enthusiasm, Brit serves as yearbook art editor and has been active on the field hockey and soccer teams. Reflecting on how the Club has affected her since she joined at age 11, Brittany writes, “the Club secured the high morals that I had then and still carry now. Back then I never thought of it as a way to keep kids out of trouble, but looking back I can see what it’s done for us all. It’s what goes on inside the Club that helps kids and makes them want to keep coming back.”
	Jermaine Justice (Germantown) With an incredible amount of family responsibilities on his shoulders, Jermaine has had to mature early and has developed an open-minded philosophy that indicates a depth of sensitivity to others’ gifts. “I think everyone has a great character,” Jermaine says; “I think some people just do not use their character.” Active with the Keystone Club, Jermaine uses the caregiving skills he has built within his family to brighten the days of older adults at a local nursing home. Basketball is something he enjoys, and Jermaine, a sophomore at Martin Luther King High School, is challenging himself to achieve so he can realize his goal of succeeding in college and going on to law school. “The Club has all the resources I need,” he states, and “I am happy to say I attend the Club every day.”
Alisha Lee (Frankford) With 10 years in the Northeast Frankford Club, Alisha has participated in almost every Boys & Girls Clubs program offered. With this considerable perspective, Alisha writes about the Club: “there are problems teens face that you might not want your parents to know about … the great staff at the Club are people you can trust and will you the respect you deserve as a young adult.” Now president of Keystone Club, Alisha is an active recruiter of new teen Club members in addition to participating in Junior ROTC, peer mentoring and dance team at Frankford High, where she will graduate with a B+ average. Her goal is to become an obstetrician.
	Telisha McClure (Wissahickon) Thirteen years at the Club -- Telisha knows Wissahickon inside and out, not only through her own experience but because most of her family grew up at the Club as well. Telisha’s family has lived in the historic Pulaski Town neighborhood for 60 years and this enhances her understanding of the historical significance of Wissahickon, and an appreciation for how Club membership has a positive lifelong effect. Telisha says, “When you walk into the Club it is like walking into your grandmother’s house when she has family over. It is very loving and fun to be there.” Telisha enjoys both academics and playing basketball at Central High. While she dreams of playing professionally, she is aiming at a career as an athletic trainer.
Joseph Padgett-Mebane (Nicetown) His mother may call him Joe, but all his friends call him Deon. A senior at Simon Gratz, Deon has served as Vice President and President of Keystone Club and participates as a junior club staff member, assisting in the Club’s gym, games room, library and teen center. He has rededicated himself to his academic goals so he can be the first person in his family to graduate from college. Deon enjoys playing sports, which he balances with a demanding array of family responsibilities – which, together with his Club experiences, he credits with making him independent and self-reliant.
	Corey Stewart (Nicetown) A junior at Girls’ High, Corey is the school mascot and runs track year-round as a member of the varsity cross-country, indoor track and track teams. Cited by many as a natural leader, Corey has distinguished herself by balancing a demanding set of family responsibilities with robust academic challenges. After completing college, she plans to open and operate a day care center and build on the examples set by the Boys & Girls Club staff she has known over her years of membership. “They don’t just work for a paycheck,” Corey says, “they sincerely care about children … a staff member is always available with an open heart willing to listen and talk about anything.”
Shawn Tate (Wissahickon) A nine-year Club member, Shawn has enjoyed a wide array of Club offerings, from sports and fundraisers to trips and summer camps. “I come to the Club to be part of that big happy family, he writes. Jermaine spends plenty of time in the computer lab and hopes for a career designing video games. He wants to work on positive activities for children, noting that “When you hang out on the street, people declare that you will not make it in life, and that is the last thing I would like for anyone to think about me.” Now a senior at Mastbaum, Shawn says you won’t catch him going down the wrong path in life “because I am a product of the Boys & Girls Clubs, the Positive Place for Kids!”