Teen Named Rota Youth of the Year

ROTA, SPAIN

03.23.2015

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Dietrick 

Naval Station Rota, Spain

NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain - Selected from among several outstanding local youth, Leif Gruetter, was named recipient of the 2015 Rota Youth of the Year, Feb. 19.

As the new Youth of the Year for Naval Station Rota, the 16-year old high school junior is a true example of an extraordinary young man who was recognized by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) for his sound character, leadership skills, and willingness to give back to the community.

Leif had just returned from an academic bowl and initially thought the classroom was so crowded because people wanted to welcome him back.

“I was shocked at first,” he said. Students and faculty wanted to welcome him back but they also wanted to see his reaction once he was told the big news.

“When I came into school the next day, I saw Miss Kaylee [Malone] and thought to myself, ‘Why is Miss Kaylee here? Did I win?’ Then I saw a congratulatory sign on the board because I won the Youth of the Year Award,” said Leif.

Earning this honor was the culmination of a yearlong effort. Eligible nominees had to previously win the Youth of the Month Award before the 12 candidates could submit applications for the yearly award. Applications included an interview, four written essays on separate topics, and a three-minute videotaped speech. The award applications were sent to judges in Naples, Italy, who ultimately chose Leif as the best youth to represent Rota at the next level.

The Youth of the Year program celebrates youth who demonstrate exceptional character and go above and beyond in areas including scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership ability.

Among his many contributions to the Rota Youth Center, Leif is president of the 4-H Club and an integral member of the Keystone Club. He also runs a science club where the kids get together and do fun science experiments and he encourages them to ask questions.

“I really love introducing new ideas to kids,” said Leif. “Some kids are hesitant to try new things and I like to let them know its okay.”

The Keystone Club started a few ago and Leif was a major contributor to getting it started. It is a form of student counsel that meets weekly to discuss ideas that can make the center better and acts as a larger voice for the children who attend the center. Leif believes the Youth Center has really been growing recently and expects it to continue in the future.

Leif’s mom is a David Glasgow Farragut (DGF) Middle School and his dad is a University of Maryland University College teacher; however, despite not being in the military, they face similar hardships and must overcome the same obstacles that a military family would. Leif knows that it can be hard for a military child to feel at home due to the constant moving around and does his best to ease that challenging transition.

“This is my 12th year here so I like perpetuating a sense of community,” said Leif. “I like helping kids get along and making it easier for them to meet new friends. I feel like that’s one of the things that the Youth Center is about. When you see new faces here, you go over and introduce yourself and sometimes it can grow to become a lifelong friendship.”

Leif is also active in his giving back to his community, both overseas and stateside. While in Rota, he volunteers numerous hours at the Rota Animal Welfare League shelter. During summer vacation for the last five years, Leif and his family return to Oregon to visit. Leif enjoys volunteering his time working in the reptile house at the Clatsop County Fair.

“It’s really cool to see some of the young kids that come in and see that spark of interest that they have,” said Leif. “If my parents didn’t introduce that stuff to me when I was young, I wouldn’t have grown to become as nearly fanatic as I am about it now, and I would have missed out on so much.”

When Leif isn’t volunteering his time to the community or helping at the Rota Youth Center, he likes to play the piano and enjoys reading and drawing.

With only one more year of high school left until graduation, Leif must start thinking about what comes next. He ultimately doesn’t know what he wants to do but he is going to apply for a college in the States.

“Right now, I’m definitely thinking about the different sciences, like chemical engineering or particle physics,” said Leif. “I feel like there are a lot of opportunities that I can explore to find out what I want to do with my life.”

Leif credits a lot of people for being a role model and inspiring him to want to do great things. There is his mom and dad, but there are a few others that he wanted to name; Kaylee Malone, teen coordinator for the Rota Youth Center, and Kathleen Tierney, science teacher for the DGF Middle School.

“Miss Kaylee is an incredible role model,” said Leif. “She does so much around the Youth Center and has helped me with so much. There is no way I would have gotten where I am without her help. There is also Mrs. Tierney. She got me started on this path of doing a lot of extracurricular stuff and finding the joy in it. I’m really thankful that she took the extra time and effort to do that for me.”

• Date Taken: 03.23.2015
• Date Posted: 04.21.2015 04:00
• Story ID: 160662
• Location: ROTA, ES