St. Charles Unit Finalists Named in 2024 Junior Youth of the Year Program

St. Charles, MO, January 4, 2023 - Lillian T., aged 11, and Zoey R., aged 11, have been named finalists in the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County Junior Youth of the Year Competition, standing out among four exceptional young candidates.

Handpicked by unit leaders based on their engagement, emerging leadership qualities, and outstanding character, a total of nine Club members from the O’Fallon and St. Charles units were chosen to participate in this year's rigorous program. Running from October to January, the multi-month initiative demanded weekly involvement from Club participants. To qualify, Junior Youth of the Year contenders immersed themselves in volunteer work, attended skill-building workshops, wrote reflective essays, and presented a speech to a panel of judges.

The judging panel, comprised of esteemed community volunteers Jack Sago from Millipore Sigma, Emily Weber from Enterprise Bank & Trust, and Paul Woody from Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., had the challenging task of selecting finalists from the St. Charles Unit, ultimately choosing Lillian and Zoey for their exemplary performance.

Moving ahead, Lillian and Zoey will advance to the organization-level competition on Saturday, January 13, alongside Brielle F. and Radia J., the finalists from the O’Fallon Unit. The crowning moment will arrive at the Great Futures Lunch sponsored by Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., on Monday, January 15, where one outstanding finalist will earn the title of Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County’s 2024 Junior Youth of the Year representative, proceeding to the state-level competition in Jefferson City come April.

Thanks to local sponsorship from Plackemeier Agency and Toyota Missouri, coupled with national support from Toyota, Kohls, and Mondelez International, the Junior Youth of the Year program stands as a beacon for young local leaders, nurturing essential life and career skills while fostering confidence. The program empowers Club youth, igniting their motivation to pursue leadership opportunities and embody the qualities of responsible citizenship and positive change agents.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County

For nearly 70 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County (BGCSTC) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs daily during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character & leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Through annual summer camps, after-school programming, and community events, BGCSTC serves children ages 5-18 across St. Charles County and beyond to enable them to become responsible, caring, and productive citizens. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County on bgcstc.org, Facebook, and LinkedIn.