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

St. Charles, MO, January 6, 2023 - Selected among 6 outstanding youth, 11-year-old Aubryana S. and 12-year-old Maliyah R. have been recognized as finalists in the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County Junior Youth of the Year Competition.

Club youth are nominated by Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County unit leadership based on their Club participation, emerging leadership skills, and overall character. This year 12 Club members were selected to participate between the O’Fallon and St. Charles units. The multi-month program required Club participants to engage in weekly sessions from October through January. Junior Youth of the Year participants write essays, create resumes, and deliver speeches to a panel of judges.

Three incredible volunteers from the community judged the competition and selected Aubryana and Maliyah as finalists from the St Charles Unit. The volunteers included Julie Baer of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Shannon Decker of Boeing, and Brittney Smith, Associate Circuit Judge 11th Judicial Circuit.

Aubryana and Maliyah will go on to compete at the organization level competition on Saturday, January 14 with two finalists from the O’Fallon Unit, Brielle F. and Radia J. At the Great Futures Lunch on Monday, January 16, one finalist will be named the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County’s 2023 Junior Youth of the Year representative and will go on to compete at the state competition in Jefferson City in April.

Locally sponsored by FORVIS and nationally sponsored by Toyota, Kohls, and Mondelez International, the Junior Youth of the Year program provides opportunities for local youth to gain essential career and life skills and increase their confidence. Club youth become motivated to seek opportunities for leadership and to act as responsible citizens and change agents.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County:

For 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 and 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 6-18 across St. Charles County 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.