Boys & Girls Club announces Youth of the Year competition

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina will be holding the 2026 Youth of the Year Competition on Wednesday, March 25 at 6:30 PM at Live Oak Bank. This annual event recognizes club members who demonstrate excellence in academics, character and citizenship, healthy lifestyles, and life and workforce readiness.

Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Club’s premier recognition program that develops teens’ leadership skills and abilities through experiences in and out of the club.  Each year, one outstanding member is selected as Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina’s Youth of the Year to serve as an ambassador for all club youth.

Among four candidates who have completed the process, one will be chosen as this year’s honoree:

● Kenneth B., 18 – A student at Cape Fear Community College with plans to become a medical assistant.

● Kenyetta B., 17 – A 4.0 GPA high school student, planning to attend UNCW’s Watson College and pursue a career as a special education teacher.

● Kimoya P., 18 – A high school student with a 3.4 GPA and 10 years of club membership.

● Zaiden W., 17 – A high school student with a 3.0 GPA and two years of club membership.

“Through Youth of the Year, these young people are not only celebrated for who they are today but are empowered to become the leaders our communities will depend on tomorrow. It gives them a platform to be seen, to be heard, and to realize the full potential they carry within them,” said Lisa Mondoro, Chief Operations Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina.

To learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina, visit the website.