Fort Pierce Teen Named Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County Youth of the Year
Kendall Cunningham, Dr. Kevin Perry and Mallory Cunningham
Photos by MaryAnn Ketcham
2023 Youth of the Year Candidates Enrique, Faith, Mia and Deanna
Photos by MaryAnn KetchamFor 75 years, Boys & Girls Clubs members from across the country have
competed at local, state, regional, and national levels to be named Youth of the Year, the highest honor a Club member can receive. On Friday, February 24th, four St. Lucie County Club teens took the stage at Treasure Coast Lexus to tell their heartfelt stories, represent their Clubs, and share their advocacy platforms with the goal of being named the 2023 St. Lucie County Youth of the Year. For the second year in a row, Westside Club member Mia Morrison took home the prestigious title.
At its core, the Youth of the Year program creates opportunities for youth to develop themselves professionally and participate in community advocacy and service projects. The four candidates’ stories serve as a testament to the impact that the Clubs have on local youth and the organization’s ability to enable all young people to reach their full potential.
After sharing her journey of becoming a youth leader in her community and presenting her advocacy platform focusing on teen mental health awareness, the Lincoln Park teen was awarded the moniker St. Lucie County Youth of the Year as well as the opportunity to continue representing the 25 local Boys & Girls Clubs at the state competition in April.
“I am excited to continue this journey to advocate for our local youth,” said Morrison. “It is important to come together to share our stories and advocate for issues in our communities. We must use resiliency and determination to make a positive change and be the leaders of tomorrow.”
Thanks to a generous Youth of the Year supporter, all four candidates and their parents are going to Guatemala during spring break. This will be a service trip in collaboration with St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity.
Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County, local businesses, organization partners, and community leaders will be excitedly watching Mia prepare for and compete at the state competition being hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County for the third consecutive year from April 20th to the 22nd at Sandpiper Bay.
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