Fun Photo Friday: Cleveland's Youth of the Year

Kinyatta E.

At our Recognition Breakfast this morning, Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland named our 2011 Youth of the Year, Kinyatta, an honor roll student in her senior year at John Adams High School and a member of the Mt. Pleasant Club. Kinyatta told the audience the story of her struggles and the tremendous impact the Club has had on her life. Kinyatta has faced many challenges in her short life. At the age of 11, she and her family became homeless. For the two years her family had no place to call home, Kinyatta found a home of sorts in the Club. The building and the people inside of it became her lifeline as she endured with a child's resiliency during that time of uncertainty and fear. At the Club, she would eat what was usually her only meal of the day; she found a refuge from the outside world where she felt safe; she found caring adults and friends who were supportive and helpful; and, with our staff's help, she managed to do her homework every day, even though her mind was often occupied by worry. In the fall, Kinyatta will be heading to college where she plans to study to be a nurse. She is the perfect example that with determination and a guiding hand, dreams can come true!


Listen to Kinyatta's touching speech.

We also heard an inspiring speech from Tom Cook, Honorary BGCC Board Member and head of the Cleveland Association of Taco Bell Restaurants. He accepted the Corporate Citizen of the Year Award on behalf of his team, and shared with the crowd why he believes the work of Boys & Girls Clubs is so important and why he has been a long time investor in our youth. You can listen to his full speech here.


Listen to Tom Cook's moving speech. 

Dan Salamone, News Director of WOIO-19 Action News, was also on hand to accept the award for Media Partner of the Year. Dan was himself a former Club kid, and understands perhaps better than most, the important role it can play in the lives of Cleveland's youth.

While we know why the work we do is so critical to our communities, we also know that we could not do any of it without support of others. We are grateful to take this opportunity each year to recognize the success stories of our youth and at the same time, give a little something back to those that have given so much.