Nominees announced for Boys and Girls Club 2023 Youth of the Year
HOLLAND — Nominees for the annual Youth of the Year award from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holland have been announced, with four nominees from West Ottawa and two from Holland.
Six local youth are nominated for this year’s award — Gavin Phe, Sterling Shepard II, Isabel Shepard, Alesha VandenBerge, Analicia Sandoval and Juan Andres Gomez.
Isabel Shepard, Phe, Sandoval and Gomez each attend West Ottawa. Sterling Shepard II and VandenBerge are students at Holland High.
This will be the 28th annual Youth of the Year locally. This year’s ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 9, at Fellowship Church in Holland.
More:Jaqueline Romero named 2022 Holland Youth of the Year
More:Naeyli Mora named 2021 Holland Youth of the Year
The event will feature each of the six nominees giving a speech, followed by the naming of the 2023 Youth of the Year. In addition to the in-person event, a livestream will be available through the club's website.
Youth of the Year honors and celebrates “inspiring teens and their incredible journeys.” The nominees write essays, give speeches and participate in interviews with community members and judges.
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The program is the premier youth recognition program for the Boys & Girls Club of America. Local club winners go on to compete at the state, regional and national levels. Jaqueline Romero from Holland High School was last year’s winner.
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Nominees announced for Boys and Girls Club 2023 Youth of the Year
