Hunter Meyer to Now Vie for State Title and Scholarship
Oceanside CA— Selected among several outstanding youth in San Diego County, Hunter Meyer will compete against other Boys & Girls Club members for the California Youth of the Year title and a $5,000 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). The California competition will take place “virtually” on April 15th. The winner was announced today by BGCA, as the San Diego Clubs had to cancel their annual Youth of the Year dinner last Thursday due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead, succeed and inspire. This is the fifth time in six years that a Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside member has won the county competition.
Hunter, age 18, was born and raised in Oceanside and grew up in a large family of nine children. Hunter would be the first to say that he was on the wrong path when he found the Boys & Girls Club. He came to the Club through the Oceanside Youth Partnership, a collaboration between the Oceanside Police Department and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside, designed to keep at-risk youth from further contact with law enforcement. At the time, Hunter was a reluctant participant in the 12 week program which focuses on character building and mentoring. Hunter now credits that program and the Club with saving his life.
“Hunter is so deserving of this honor; he is truly an example of someone who has turned his life around. We couldn’t be prouder of him and his accomplishments,” said Jodi Diamond, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside. “I saw his transformation right before my eyes. After volunteering for a full year, Hunter became a paid employee. Hunter exemplifies everything that the Club is about – leadership, character development, integrity, resilience and the power of hard work.” said Diamond.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year recognition program is presented by Toyota, empowering young people to reach their full potential and providing youth with access to the tools they need to build the great futures they imagine. Toyota, the Signature Sponsor of Youth of the Year, is committed to helping improve the quality of life in our communities, and has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring youth have access to a quality education. Additional support is provided by University of Phoenix, a national education partner that has joined with BGCA to impact academic success among youth across the country, and the Taco Bell Foundation, BGCA’s premier partner for teen empowerment.
If Hunter wins at the state competition, he will compete for the title of Pacific Region Youth of the Year and an additional $10,000 college scholarship, renewable for four years up to $40,000. Five regional winners will advance to Washington, D.C to compete for the title of BGCA’s National Youth of the Year.
For more information about the Youth of the Year program, visit http://www.youthoftheyear.org.