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The Youth of the Year is a product of our mission: “To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”  The Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers are committed to providing our children with a sense of upward influence in the administration of their Club.  It is our Club’s responsibility to provide these services to children with passion, purpose, and patience. The Youth of the Year was first awarded in Plymouth thirty-five years after our Club was founded in 1911 with the selection of the “Boy of the Year” in 1946.  After girls were invited to join the Club, both a boy and girl of the year were chosen most years until our Club became the Boys & Girls Club of Plymouth and changed the name of the award to Youth of the Year.

Youth of the Year award is given at the end of a serious and demanding three-month long process of application, using a nationally prescribed packet, detailing accomplishments by each youngster in service to family, community, school, and service to the Club.  In addition, candidates write two original essays in support of their quest for the award.  A panel of judges reads the packets and interviews each finalist using a script of difficult questions designed to probe the level of personal commitment to serving the mission of our national movement.  Boys & Girls Clubs, uniquely, foster the concept of “servant leadership” wherein tomorrow’s leaders are expected to be the young people who have taken to heart the lesson of giving to others without regard to the cost or inconvenience to themselves.

Our young people have raised money in support of the depleted disaster relief funds, packed care packages to ship to Haiti, have visited the veterans and the elderly and have counseled their peers about the impropriety of hurtful remarks and self-injurious behaviors.

The Youth of the Year candidates demonstrate good character through their caring, honesty, sense of use, and respect for others.  They also possess good interpersonal skills, and they these skills to develop their ability as speakers.

Note:  Within the Club and among the numerous Directors, sponsors, and mentors of these youths, Joe Pesci’s term for young people in My Cousin Vinny is used affectionately and with great respect.  These are our “Utes”.

The Youth of the Year award is generously provided by the Stephen Magner Memorial Fund. We thank them for their continued generosity and support.