Boys and Girls Clubs of America Southeast Region Recognize Youth of the Year Winners

Rising stars across the region recognized for their leadership with “Southeast Youth of the Year” honors

On Thursday, June 12, Boys and Girls Clubs of America recognized extraordinary youth club members in an elegant celebration at the Georgia Aquarium to honor the 2025 Southeast Youth of the Year. The event, moderated by Andraya Carter, an ESPN basketball analyst and reporter, showcased teen candidates competing for the prestigious Southeast Youth of the Year and Southeast Military Youth of the Year titles, along with a $20,000 college scholarship, and positioned them for the National Youth of the Year award.

Carter explained that BGCA’s emphasis on leadership, service, mentorship and academic excellence has been a cornerstone of the organization’s mission for more than 160 years and that the YOY designation is a culmination of club initiatives and its commitment to recognizing outstanding young people.

Guest appearances by Te-Hina Paopao, WNBA, Atlanta Dream; Allisha Gray, WNBA, Atlanta Dream; Jalon Walker, NFL, Atlanta Falcons; Shameik Moore, actor and musician; Josh Norman, NFL player and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Southeast Regional Trustee, and Gerald Henderson Jr., former NBA player and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Southeast elevated the program’s rankings in terms of similar events nationwide and emphasized BGCA’s pledge to spur hope and inspire club members to become outstanding leaders in community service, academic excellence, and dedication to health and well-being.

As the program commenced and before the introduction of the 18 BGCA members in the running for Youth of The Year, the 2024-2025 National Youth of the Year, Nico F., a political science and information technology double-major at Florida State University, addressed the question of what the honor means. “Being named the National Youth of the Year is the highest recognition any club kid can receive, but the title at every level is an amazing honor,” adding that six teens including the five regional Youth of the Year and the National Military Youth of the year would advance to the annual National Youth of the Year event, where one outstanding candidate is named National Youth of the Year.

BGCA participants in the Southeast Youth of the Year celebration represented clubs in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Guantanamo Bay took to the stage to share life stories and how their involvement with the historic organization has impacted their lives and plans for the future.

Georgia Military Youth of the Year and the 2025 winner of the Southeast Youth of the Year, Jacob R. of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, enthusiastically accepted the prestigious honor after delivering a poignant and moving recounting of his introduction to BGCA.

“Hamlet begins his famous soliloquy with these words ‘to be to be or not to be. That is the question,’ the aspiring actor began. “For me, the question was what to be or what not to be. I did not have the conventional military story filled with heroic tales of patriotic service,” Jacob continued. “I was born the son of a schizophrenic. So, I was consumed by addiction, homelessness, and later incarceration. Despite my teen mother’s best efforts, I was left feeling like I had no place in this world. My father’s absence had a profound effect on me. I was emotionally new,” said Jacob, who is pursuing a career in performing arts.

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA – Eva P.J. receives the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2025 Southeast Youth of the Year and Jacob R. was named the 2025 Southeast Military Youth of the Year. Image taken on Thursday, June 12, 2025 in Atlanta. (Todd Kirkland/AP Content Services for Boys & Girls Clubs of America)

Eva P.J., also an outstanding teen hailing from Georgia, admits that although initially she was reluctant to join the Boys and Girls Club, the experience has been the most rewarding of her young life. “When my parents told me I’d be spending the summer somewhere new, I begged them not to make me go. I was scared to be labeled as the new girl and terrified to be overlooked because I was quiet and shy,” she admitted. “But when I walked through the doors of my club, I felt seen. … That summer was one of the most memorable of my childhood, and somewhere between the field trips and the talent shows, I found my passion for helping others learn. … I’ve [tutored] over 75 children, instilling the same belief that my grandma gave me, you are worthy, you are capable, and you are brilliant. This fall, I’ll continue my journey at Spelman College as an Honors Scholar and biochemistry major on the path to becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, building confidence in children, one smile at a time,” she beamed.

BGCA’s celebration of youth concluded as it began, with so many of the nation’s most successful young men and women attesting that Boys & Girls Clubs continue to vigorously provide a fundamental foundation to spur hope and inspire them to become outstanding leaders in community service, academic excellence, and dedication to health and well-being.

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA – Boys & Girls Clubs of America hosts its Southeast Youth of the Year Celebration at The Georgia Aquarium to recognize young leaders from across the region for their outstanding leadership, service, academic excellence, and dedication to health and wellbeing. Image taken on Thursday, June 12, 2025 in Atlanta. (Todd Kirkland/AP Content Services for Boys & Girls Clubs of America)

For more information please visit https://www.bgca.org/