Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago Announce the Winner of
2008 Youth of the Year.
BGCC 2008 Youth of the Year Members are Destined for Greatness.
After an afternoon of speeches delivered by the top nine Club
members from across Chicago, Daniel A. Cotter Club member Krystal
Lewis emerges as the 2008 Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the
Year. The 16th annual Youth of the Year Competition and Awards
Luncheon was held on Friday, January 25, 2008, from 12:00
PM to 2:00 PM at the Park Hyatt Hotel. This year’s Mistress
of Ceremonies was Chicago’s own Micah Materre, WGN News
at Noon Anchor. The guest panel of judges who volunteered their
time for the event were BGCC Corporate Board member Ben Buettell
from Houlihan, Lokey, Howard & Zukin, Sherri Logan Hicks from
the Chicago Fire Department and Michael Pankau from Wells Fargo
Financial.
Board members, family and staff gathered together to recognize
the achievement of nine BGCC Club members competing for the agency
title. The event was by opened by BGCC Corporate Board member
Tracey Patterson who delivered the welcome remarks and introduced
Micah Materre. BGCC corporate board member Joe Ferraro had the
honor of announcing the winner of the competition.
After the nine finalists’ speeches Krystal Lewis was awarded the title of 2008 BGCC Youth of the Year. Krystal received a cash prize of $500, and a HP Compaq Business Notebook laptop and printer. All contestants received prizes for representing their respective clubs.
Krystal is a senior at Prosser Career Academy and has been a active member of the Cotter Club for nine years. During her years as a Club member, Krystal has participated in several programs like the Torch Club, girl’s volleyball team, College Bound, Keystone Club and Power Hour both as a student and as a volunteer tutor. Currently she is a volunteer chef in our Cooking Club program for 10 and 11 year old club members.
As the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago Youth of the Year, Krystal
will serve as the agency’s ambassador during special events
and meetings. She will also represent Chicago in the state competition
held in Springfield, IL in April 2008. If Krystal is successful
in the state competition, she has the opportunity to move forward
to the regional and the national competitions. At the state level,
the youth could win a $1,000 scholarship. The five regional winners
selected among the state winners will compete for the national
honor in Washington, D.C., where the President will install the
National Youth of the Year officially in a White House ceremony
in September. The youth receives a $10,000 scholarship at the
regional level, and a $15,000 scholarship award at the national
level.
2008 Youth of the Year Contestants
Krystal Lewis - Daniel A. Cotter Boys & Girls Club
Marshe Collins - Englewood Club
Maria Hernandez - General Robert E. Wood Club
Aundriana Burtley - James R. Jordan Club
David Rojas - Little Village Club
Yvonne Williams - Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Club
Megan Roman - Logan Square Club
Marie Huels - Louis L. Valentine Club
Marcus Daniels - Robert R. McCormick Club
