OAKHURST — Great things are happening every single day the doors fly open at the Oakhurst Boys and Girls Club — which, by the way, is available for local youth this week while school is out. Members recently went toe-to-toe with valley youth in events involving speech and essay writing, and the results are terrific.
After months of serious preparation, three Oakhurst BGC members competed in the Fresno County Youth of the Year event: Mikey King Simmons, Jessica Star, and Kim Pound. They were required to write multiple essays, go through nine interviews with community leaders and, finally, they had to give a three-minute speech.
Youth of the Year celebrates teens whose Club experience has empowered them to find their voice and achieve success through after school experiences rooted in what matters to them most – choice, access and passion, say organizers. Starting on the local level, Clubs select Youth of the Year representatives who then progress to state and regional competitions, culminating with the National Youth of the Year Celebration, which features youth from each of the five regions, as well as the National Military Youth of the Year.
Stevie Trujillo
The BGC proudly announces that Mikey King Simmons took first place and Jessica Star took second place in the county-wide competition. Members were awarded scholarships for their hard work along with other prizes and their hard work was appreciated by all.
Mikey will be moving on to the California State Competition in Sacramento.
Meanwhile, Oak Creek Intermediate School eighth-grader Stevie Trujillo won third place in an essay contest called “What Drives Your Dream,” sponsored by Ford Motor Company and Boys and Girls Club Of Fresno County. She will receive and iPad Air and $100.
“The ultimate dream is to improve the wellbeing of everyone I can. One day I aspire to exceedingly lead people to justice within themselves and their lives.” – from Stevie Trujillo’s award-winning essay.
