November 2021
Due to the recent spikes in COVID -19 and with consultation from various donors, Board Members and health officials, we have made the decision to postpone our Youth of the Year In-Person event to November 2021. More details to come in the coming weeks.
[wc_divider style=”solid” line=”single” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=””][/wc_divider]
Congrats to our 2021 Youth of the Year Nominees!
[wc_divider style=”solid” line=”single” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=””][/wc_divider]
[wc_row]
[wc_column size=”one-third” position=”first”]
[/wc_column]
[wc_column size=”two-third” position=”last”]
Aquatics Candidate
Miko Baron
Age 15
Ever since she was 10 years old, Miko has been a great teammate and an exceptional athlete on our Rancho San Dieguito (RSD) Swim Team. Our entire coaching staff has recognized that Miko is a positive young lady at the pool, which in turn draws other staff/kids on the swim team to want to be around her. Miko is eager to learn and appreciative of any feedback. Miko is always striving for better in practice and at meets. You can always tell she is listening to feedback as the next time she leaves the wall she is already making corrections. She is a hard worker, and a national level competitor, and she is balanced with many other activities outside of RSD.
She swims in open water competitions, most recently Jr. Nationals where she had a very high placing. The open water swims she has competed in has helped in her development as a swimmer. Miko also has a desire to give back to her sport through teaching lessons at The Club as well as working towards her beach lifeguarding
certifications. She is also a great surfer.
The drive she has to reach her goals is very impressive, especially at such a young age. Miko constantly exemplifies RSD’s team values of: Respect, integrity, leadership,
quality, teamwork and excellence.
[/wc_column]
[/wc_row]
[wc_divider style=”solid” line=”single” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=””][/wc_divider]
[wc_row]
[wc_column size=”one-third” position=”first”]
[/wc_column]
[wc_column size=”two-third” position=”last”]
Athletics Candidate
Jesse Snider
Age 17
Jesse has had a tremendous impact on Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito throughout his years of participation. Volunteering over 200 hours, Jesse has given back to the community by coaching elementary teams, speaking on behalf of the Club, providing basketball clinics to younger members, and initiating fundraising ideas. Without Jesse’s dedication to the Club, there are many members that would not have the funds to access these programs.
Jesse stands head and shoulders over most youth athletes, not only in demonstrated initiative, intelligence and creativity, but also in his ability to function as a productive member of a team. His intellect is matched by his ability to communicate clearly, and to project an open, friendly persona to others, regardless of their level of expertise.
Jesse’s excellent communication skills, positive outlook and pleasing personality enhance his natural leadership qualities. His willingness to accept challenges and listen to input enable him to contribute thoughtful, well-reasoned approaches to helping others solve
difficult problems.
During this past year, Jesse stepped up to assist in our virtual programming for our Elementary Hoops basketball players, helping with our zoom practices. Even during a pandemic, Jesse managed to think of younger club members. He is a great role model, a natural leader among his peers and a fantastic ambassador of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito Athletics’ Department.
[/wc_column]
[/wc_row]
[wc_divider style=”solid” line=”single” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=””][/wc_divider]
[wc_row]
[wc_column size=”one-third” position=”first”]
[/wc_column]
[wc_column size=”two-third” position=”last”]
Youth Arts Academy Candidate
Maya Rosenbaum
Age 16
Maya began at YAA as a young high-schooler in 2014 in our Rock Band Program. She completed two seasons of Rock Band with YAA as well as taking group guitar lessons and private lessons in our studios over the next couple of years. After her time as a student with YAA she found us again in 2019 in a new role of volunteer and mentor.
Maya has served the youth, instructors, and staff at YAA in many capacities. She has assisted as a mentor to students and assistant to instructors in several of our rock bands and camps by attending rehearsals to help with set up, printing and distributing music, tuning instruments, assisting students in their technique, and jamming with the bands. She has also assisted at Youth Arts Academy events by helping out with front-of-house and backstage logistics. And she was instrumental (no pun intended) in helping inventory and organize all the music equipment and materials at YAA in Fall of 2019. During the pandemic and our brief closure, Maya took it upon herself to reach out to help YAA students by creating videos of herself playing and practicing the guitar and violin to serve as tutorials and inspirations to our students who were stuck at home: becoming a true beacon of light and fun during a bleak time in our world.
Still just a teenager herself, she has shown such maturity in her role of serving and mentoring other youth in our programs. She fully embodies YAA’s mission to stimulate personal growth, self-expression, and creativity in our students through the arts.
[/wc_column]
[/wc_row]
[wc_divider style=”solid” line=”single” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=””][/wc_divider]
[wc_row]
[wc_column size=”one-third” position=”first”]
[/wc_column]
[wc_column size=”two-third” position=”last”]
Haper Teen Center Candidate
Jesus Yacir Romero Ocampo
Having attended The Club since he was in second grade, this freshman at Mira Costa College has grown from a giggly little boy, always at his twin brother’s side, to a kind, helpful, independent leader within our La Colonia Club and Harper Teen Center.
Everybody knows Yacir and Yacir knows everybody! You can usually find him in the computer lab, where he will not hesitate to help anyone with technical issues or questions.Yacir has been an active volunteer within our Clubs, helping with countless easter events, Halloween activities, movie nights, and any other type of community service and fundraisers. He is always the first one there in the morning and the last one to leave.
Yacir is a very kind, sweet, young individual, who is truly himself and we are honored to award him the title of Harper Teen Center Youth of the Year.
“Without the Club, I feel like I would have been more anxious, stressed, and I would have constantly second-guessed my education….The supplies and resources the Club provided me growing up were extremely important to my success today.” – Yacir
[/wc_column]
[/wc_row]