2018 Annual Report

YOUTH OF THE YEAR
A new candidate is named for 2019—a youth who aspires to be a professional baker, and who currently works
to create Club programs that all youth are able to participate in, regardless of ability.
Youth of the Year is an interesting proposition, as
it is certainly one of the most quality programs
teens can engage in during their membership in a
Club. Since 1947, Youth of the Year has been the
premier recognition program for Boys & Girls Club teens
as they progress toward reaching a Great Future. Becoming
National Youth of the Year is an exciting and inspiring
journey. Each year, thousands of Club teens participate in
local, state, and regional Youth of the Year events. Six teens,
including five regional winners and a national military youth
winner, advance to Washington, D.C., for the Youth of the
Year Gala & Celebration Dinner, when that one outstanding
young person is named Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s
national teen spokesperson. The National Youth of the Year
is a role model, leader, and advocate for more than 4 million
kids and teens served by Boys & Girls Clubs each year and
all of America’s young people.
In Kyla, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit
County has a Youth of the Year who is
a passionate advocate for others facing
challenges with access due to any form of
disability, and one that focused on how
the Club has helped her overcome various
obstacles by instilling a strong sense of
determination while fostering acceptance.
A Washington State Youth of the Year has gone on to win
National honors three times since 1947 —Tony Agtarap,
now an orthopedic surgeon in Olympia and founding Board
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