Submitted by Boys and Girls Clubs of Whatcom County
With speeches in hand, seven teenage members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County described their success and their challenges at the annual Youth of the Year Community Dinner sponsored by BP on January 26. Youth of the Year is the premier recognition program, celebrating the extraordinary achievements of Club teens. Each Clubhouse and program area in Whatcom County nominated a Junior or Senior Youth of the Year to present to judges Frances Badgett, Barry Hanson, Anne Bowen, Rob McCormack, Tim Seaton, and Jackie Harris.
Moriah Nixon, senior at Squalicum High School and member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County Bellingham branch, was awarded the highest honor that evening as Youth of the Year. In her speech she described the many opportunities that the Club had given her from volleyball to a quiet space to focus on schoolwork. “The Club is not only about the present, it is about the future as well. My Boys & Girls Club has set me up well to overcome future challenges and reach my goals,” shared Ms. Nixon.
All seven representative Club members presented their speeches to a packed room of 200. Nominated members also included Joshua Burton, Ferndale Youth of the Year; Matthew Nixon III, Athletics Jr. Youth of the Year; Elizabeth Fernandez, Bellingham Jr. Youth of the Year; Diamond Hester, Blaine Jr. Youth of the Year; Angilena Guitierrez, Ferndale Jr. Youth of the Year; and Phoebe Anderson, Lynden Jr. Youth of the Year.
Ms. Nixon will go on to compete in the statewide Youth of the Year competition this spring. In addition to the presentation of Youth of the Year, several awards were given to advocates of the Clubs: Jill Reid, Staff of the Year; Richard Maneval, Volunteer of the Year; Ken Reinschmidt, Board Member of the Year, and Casey Diggs – Boundary Bay Brewery, Community Impact Award.
