Boys & Girls Club leaders honored at annual 'Youth of the Year' awards dinner
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – The annual Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year celebration dinner honored some of the region's brightest young leaders.
Several young leaders from Boys & Girls Clubs across the region were in the spotlight Wednesday night, honored as the 'Youth of the Year.'
From Springfield to the Berkshires, each honoree was chosen for their ability to lead, succeed, and inspire. 'Youth of the Year' awardee Jesus Morales Jr. told 22News, 'To be able to inspire these kids. There are days when it's rough—you feel like nobody cares about you. But at the end of the day, you know that you are always making an impact in each of their lives.'
The Youth of the Year program is more than a title—it's a national initiative that showcases young leaders who overcome obstacles, demonstrate academic excellence, and give back to their communities.
These youth leaders will have the chance to compete regionally and then nationally….Earning scholarships along the way. The national youth of the year could receive up to $50,000Including a special installation by the president of the United States.
'To me, it's fulfillment at the end of the day,' Morales adds. The evening was emceed by Mass Appeal's Patrick Berry, who has seen firsthand the power of Boys and Girls Club programming. '
'You meet people, make life-long friendships, and you learn skills that you may not learn elsewhere—so your local boys and girls club is the glue of the community,' says Berry. These honorees will now move forward as ambassadors and potentially become the national youth of the year.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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