Since 1947, the Youth of the Year program has honored and celebrated the nation’s most inspiring teens and their incredible journeys. Stories of outstanding leadership, service, academic excellence, and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle have made Youth of the Year America’s premier leadership and recognition program for teens.
Becoming National Youth of the Year is an exciting and inspiring journey. Each year, thousands of Club teens participate in local, state, and regional Youth of the Year events. Six teens, including five regional finalists and the National Military Youth of the Year, advance for the National Youth of the Year, where one outstanding young person is named Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national teen spokesperson. The National Youth of the Year is a role model, leader, and advocate for the nearly four million youth served by Boys & Girls Clubs each year, and all of America’s young people.
2023 Maryland Youth of the Year Winners
Jailen
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Carroll County
Amari
JB Andrews Youth Program
(Andrews Air Force Base Youth Center)
Jailen is resilient, mindful, and hardworking. When asked to describe her, peers and staff described Jailen as self- aware, reliable, and confident. Jailen is well known at the Club for leading Social Emotional Wellness programs with the elementary school youth. She is an advocate for mental health and says that the mentors at the Club have been her greatest resource. Jailen is graduating from Winters Mill High School in June 2023 and will be attending Carroll Community College to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a neonatal intensive care nurse. She has been a long-time club member, joining when she was 5 years old. Jailen is always the first member to volunteer for any activity or club. She is a previous Elementary Youth of the Year and has served as a Leader in Training and Junior Leader. Jailen is active in SMART Girls. Art, Run Team, and Career Launch. Her goal is to help kids find positive coping strategies to support their mental health. To promote her platform, Jailen has participated in our BGC video series about finding your natural high and supporting your mental wellness. Jailen’s journey at the Club has been one of incredible growth – both hers and the Club’s – and we know that she is the perfect choice for to represent young people in her community, state and beyond.
Amari is self-motivated, determined, enthusiastic and open-minded. He has always been extremely motivated; whether he was assigned to a group or tutoring his peers, he has shown his enthusiasm for his work and nurtured his peers and guided them at every point. His core strength has been his ability to motivate others. Amari has been a member of Joint Base Andrews Youth Programs for the past 7 years. He has taken on the leadership in Torch Club and Keystone Club, where he now holds the President role. This year alone, Amari has invested nearly 100 community service hours and last year he was awarded the Bronze Presidential Awards for serving his community. For every event held at the Club, Amari is a leader and he helps the members in Keystone come up with a plan to make the event successful for all who attend. Amari has been a gem at Joint Base Andrews Youth Center in the SAC community and Teen Center. In every Club program he was invested in such as Passport to Manhood, Healthy Habits and Money Matters, he took the lead. He states that his Boys & Girls Club is his “home away from home” and everyone is family. He is comfortable in expressing his feelings and opinions without worrying about judgment. The programs that the Club provides have helped him quickly understand his role in the community and led him to pursue other leadership roles as FBLA’S Regional Vice-President and Vice President of the National Honor Society.
2023 Maryland Youth of the Year Finalists
Nay'diah
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Harford & Cecil Counties
Mason
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Annapolis & Anne Arundel County
Shaniya
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Metropolitan Baltimore
Amari
JB Andrews Youth Program
(Andrews Air Force Base Youth Center)
Jailen
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Carroll County