YOUTH OF THE YEAR WINNER ANNOUNCED
AT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER ST. LOUIS GREAT FUTURES GALA
Zhariah Davis Wins Youth of the Year, $5,000 in Scholarships & A NEW CAR
Over 500 guests and $660,000 raised for Club kids and teens!
St. Louis, MO, November 28, 2022 – Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) is proud to announce the 2023 Youth of the Year winner is O’Fallon Park Club member Zhariah Davis! Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive and a signature national youth recognition program that celebrates the recipient’s contributions to their family, school, community, and their Boys & Girls Club. The winner was announced under the Big Top at the carnival themed Great Futures Gala, the largest fundraising event for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, which raised $660,000 for Club kids and teens!
Zhariah, age 17, is a senior at Metro Academic and Classical High School and has been a Club member for two years. In addition to winning the Youth of the Year title and the honor of representing the Club as a Teen Ambassador, she received the Michael & Wanda DeHaven $5,000 Scholarship, a celebratory dinner courtesy of the Saint Louis Club, and a car provided by Frank Leta Honda!
Zhariah’s Great Future plans are to pursue higher education and become a Biomedical Engineer. She enjoys the Club’s SMART Girls program the most and is thankful for the support of staff and programming that has helped boost her self-confidence. She says of the Club, “I love being a part of the Boys & Girls Club! Interacting and getting to know kids of different backgrounds and ages played a big role in boosting my confidence and developing better social skills. The staff also played a big role in my character development by making sure I felt safe but also by pushing me outside of my comfort zone. Most importantly, I love the Boys & Girls Club because the Club gives me the big family I’ve always wanted!”
“The Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead, succeed and inspire. All of the honorees are shining examples and living proof that great futures start at the Boys & Girls Clubs. We are so proud of all of this year’s participants who took the time to complete a challenging yet worthwhile process. All possess the ability and ambition to be successful, and should be recognized for their leadership, service, academic achievements and commitment to live a healthy lifestyle,” said Dr. Flint Fowler, President, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis.
Another special moment in the evening was Daryl Jones from Tri-Tec, Inc. contributing $3,000 to each of the Youth of the Year runner up candidates.
2nd Place winner receiving a $2,500 scholarship is Mathews-Dickey Club member, Lai Joen Williams.
3rd Place winner receiving a $1,000 Scholarship is O’Fallon Park Club member Lailah Green.
4th Place winner receiving a $500 Scholarship is Herbert Hoover Club member Nikell Smith.
Special thanks to Emcee KSDK Rene Knott, the Great Futures Gala committee including event co-chairs, Melanie & Jim Bennett, Jill & Ed Dowd, and Lisa & Joe Bertain. We are also grateful to the following sponsors for their support: Title Sponsor, Dowd Bennett LLP, Presenting Sponsor Emerson, and Plantinum Sponsors Ameren, Edward Jones & Stifel. For more information on how the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis is helping our community, visit www.bgcstl.org.
