Local Boys & Girls Club Names Youth of the Year

Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi (BGCNMS) recently named Braylon Robinson its 2020 Youth of the Year. Last Thursday, Youth of the Year (YOY) winners from five local Clubs administered by BGCNMS competed before a panel of judges for the distinct honor of being named the organization’s YOY.  Representing Clubs were Ta’Nysia Steele of Ripley, Braylon Robinson of Oxford, Kyion White of Tupelo Northside, Jahtonia Wilson of Tupelo Haven Acres and DaKoyta Lesure of New Albany. 

Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi (BGCNMS) recently named Braylon Robinson its 2020 Youth of the Year. Photo provided. 

Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive.  The program was founded more than 70 years ago through the generosity of the Reader’s Digest Foundation.  To achieve the title of Youth of the Year, Club members must embody the values of leadership and service; academic excellence; and healthy lifestyles and also exemplify the critical impact that Boys & Girls Clubs have on the lives of young people.   This year’s judges were: Shirley Hendrix of R&B Specialty Printing, Rebecca Nelson of Volunteer Northeast Mississippi and Judd Wilson of CDF.

“We are extremely proud of all our Youth of the Year finalists from our local Clubs,” said Zell Long, Chief Executive Officer of BGCNMS. “They are all truly winners; we are fortunate to have them as a part of our program. We are also excited about being the host organization for this year’s State competition.”

Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi served as the host organization for this year’s Youth of the Year State competition.  The State competition will be held in Oxford Feb. 26–28. Robinson will represent the organization in State competition, competing with other BGC youth from throughout Mississippi for the title of Mississippi Youth of the Year. The winner of the State competition receives $2,500 in scholarships to the college of their choice. 

It is the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi to inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.  Serving North Mississippi since 1996, the organization reaches more than 2,000 youth annually through Cubhouse locations in Tupelo, Oxford, Ripley and New Albany. For more information on Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi, please visit www.bgcnms.org. 

Press release courtesy of the Boys & Girls Club