Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Veloicaza | SINGAPORE (Feb 4, 2018) – The Singapore Area Coordinator (SAC) recognized its 2018...... read more read more
SINGAPORE (Feb 5, 2018) – The Singapore Area Coordinator (SAC) recognized its 2018 Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Military Youth of the Year recipient during an awards ceremony held at the Terror Club Feb. 4, 2018.
The BGCA Military Youth of the Year program is an annual program in which every Navy Child and Youth Program (CYP) department selects a military youth of the year, who then goes on to participate at further levels of competition.
This year’s winner for SAC was Ryan Walker, an 11th grade high school student currently attending the Singapore American School. Walker was also last year’s recipient of the SAC 2017 BGCA Military Youth of the Year award. In addition to the BGCA Military Youth of the Year award category, the command also awarded a Junior Youth of the Year Award to Eliza Magana, a freshman attending Stamford American International School.
For Walker, being selected to represent the SAC community for a second time is a great chance for her to compete again with renewed fervor.
“It feels great to have won again because it’s another opportunity and chance to go back to Japan and fight for what I wanted originally,” Walker said.
For Magana, her thoughts on being selected as the Junior Youth of the Year were humbling and positive.
“Having been this year’s junior award recipient makes me feel like an inspiration to others even though I’m only a freshman,” Magana said.
Additionally, Magana looks forward in competing again in next year’s BGCA Military Youth of the Year Award event.
This year, the SAC CYP staff invited a panel of community leaders to judge interviews, a letter of reference, speeches, and application portfolios of candidates competing for the national title.
In terms of moving forward, Walker will go on to compete at the state of level competition in Japan this year. State winners each receive a scholarship and advance to regional competitions. Regional winners receive an additional college scholarship, renewable for four years. Six youth, including five regional winners and a military winner, advance to the National Youth of the Year competition in Washington, D.C. for a chance at an additional scholarship.
Established in 1947, Youth of the Year is BGCA's premier recognition program for Club members, promoting service to Club, community and family, academic success, strong moral character, life goals, and poise and public speaking ability.
| Date Taken: | 02.05.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 02.09.2018 01:44 |
| Story ID: | 265320 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 392 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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