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Andrea Howard Selected 2007 Youth of the Year
Andrea Howard, a senior at Trenton Central High School, has been named the 2007 Trenton Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of Trenton. Andrea earned a $2,000 college scholarship and will represent the Trenton Club in the New Jersey State Youth of the Year Program. Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. The title recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community, and the Boys & Girls Club.
Also named was Ashley Harris as the Junior Youth of the Year. Ashley will represent the program within the Trenton Club over the next year and compete in the 2008 contest.
Nine Trenton High School students participated in the Trenton Club’s Youth of the Year Program which culminated on March 20 with a dinner in the Chauncey Conference Center at ETS, which hosted the event. Highlight of the dinner was each nominee’s two-minute presentation to a panel of judges, parents, and invited guests.
In addition to Andrea and Ashley, the Youth of the Year nominees were Rico Bell, Jovin Fernandez, and Gregory Ford, all Trenton High School Seniors; Jodie Kamara, a freshman at Seton Hall University; Shakila McKoy and Ryeshem Smith, THS juniors, and Korey Thompson, a sophomore.
Nominees received certificates recognizing their participation from David B. Morgan, board president of the Boys & Girls Club; Trenton Councilwoman Cordelia M. Staton and Rodney Lofton, Superintendent of on Schools; and from the office of the State Legislature through Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman.
The primary objective of the Youth of the Year Program is character development. Each teen participant was paired with an adult staff member in a mentoring relationship that provided individual guidance and encouragement. The Youth of the Year Program also provides opportunities for learning how to write essays that are well thought out and to develop public speaking skills. Among the qualities on which contestants are judged are personal essays and presentation.
Before the dinner, each nominee met with a panel of five judges for a personal interview. Serving as judges were William L. Gates of Hunt Construction Group; Stephen Higgins of Allstate New Jersey; Eleanor V. Horne, vice president of the Social Investment Fund at ETS; Jayne O’Connor of Bristol-Myers Squibb; and Kevin L. Washington of Tyco International.
Founded 60 years ago, the Youth of the Year Program fosters academic excellence through homework help, tutoring, and educational enrichment programs at the club. Teen participants also serve as peer tutors and homework helpers, providing a valuable service to others.
This was the first year of many that the Trenton Boys & Girls Club has had a full roster of nominees. According David E. Anderson, executive director, the number of teens participating in all club programs has grown dramatically over the past few years. This is attributable in large part to a newly-implemented Career Launch program that helps teens identify their vocational interests and prepares them for college and career goals.
In May, Andrea will compete against other Boys & Girls Club members for the New Jersey State Youth of the Year title and a $20,000 scholarship. Andrea has been accepted into Morgan State University in Baltimore to continue her studies this fall.
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