Being selected Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. The title recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community, and Boys & Girls Club, as well as moral character, personal challenges and obstacles overcome.
This year selected as Youth of the Year for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County are Dawn Williams from the South Haven Boys & Girls Club, Ashley Edwards from the Valparaiso Boys & Girls Club, Amanda Plebanski from the Dusty Rhode Portage Club and Ian Winstead from the Duneland Club.
Ian Winstead was chosen at the Duneland Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year due to his willingness to help out wherever needed. Ian is involved in many club activities including, Jr. Staff, Youth Enterprise and Triple Play. He also participates in community service projects.
Ian is a fourth grader at Liberty Elementary School where he also serves as Secretary for Student Council and volunteers in the guidance office. On winning his Youth of the Year Award, Ian was really proud of himself. "I love helping people at the Boys & Girls Club!" Ian said.
Dawn Williams, age 16, has been a member of the South Haven Boys & Girls Club for eleven years, has been an active member in both the Torch and Keystone leadership clubs and is also on the Club basketball and soccer teams. Within the community, Dawn plays a role in Red Cross Blood Drives and has participated in the Shoot Out Cancer tournament to raise funds for cancer research as well as bell ringing for the Salvation Army. Everyday she exemplifies the positive morals and values that have been taught to her, and approaches life with a positive attitude.
"The club means alot to me because it gave me a head start in sports, the confidence to try out for the school basketball team, and has had a big impact on my decision to stay away from drugs and alcohol. Being in the basketball and soccer leagues in the club taught me the meaning of life skills such as fair play, honesty and good sportsmanship. At every practice they were instilled in my mind. They're skills that you not only use in sports, but also everyday life. They help you with being a leader," Dawn said. "Overall the club has made me a better person. The opportunities and lessons I have learned have shaped me into the person I am today. It's definitely the place to learn many things, interact with new people and grow."
Dawn is a sophomore at Portage High School and plans to attend Purdue and the University of Chicago to pursue a career as a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
Ashley Edwards, age 16, has been a member of the Valparaiso Boys & Girls Club for two and a half years and has been an active Keystone volunteer and excels in the Teen Enterprise program. She is a dedicated community member lending her steadfast leadership and ceaseless hard work to many of community service projects such as blood drives, bake sales, food pantry drives, and the Red Cross "Festival of Trees" event at the Club.
"I think of the Valparaiso Boys & Girls Club as a second home to me in a way.The staff that works there and the kids that go there have been there for me in some way, shape or form. I go there to have fun, meet new people and make new friends. Most importantly though, It's the place I go to volunteer! When I took my first tour of the club with my parents, I was so scared to speak to anyone that it never ran through my mind that one day I would be giving tours to other kids who felt the same way that I had," Ashley said. "Everyone was so friendly, helpful and kind. The Club has taught me a ton of things dealing with responsibility, respect, honesty and even loyalty.I learned that just doing five to ten minutes of volunteering a day can make a huge difference. Now I do whatever I can to volunteer because it's really fun if you have a positive attitude and think everyone at some point in their life should experience how to volunteer and the good that comes from it. The Club is a great place to volunteer at and I think everyone should try it."
Ashley is a sophomore at Valparaiso High School and intends on attending Purdue North Central to pursue a career in the medical field.
Amanda Plebanski, age 16, has been a member of the Dusty Rhode Portage Boys & Girls Club for three years, is a member of the volleyball league and a Junior Staff member.She was a member of the hand bells at her church for two years. Amanda spends as much time as she can at the Club, always eager to lend a hand with homework and various other projects to other club Her enthusiasm and generosity has set her apart as a positive influence and leader among her peers.
"The Boys & Girls Club is not just a place where many children enjoy going after school, but more like a home away from home. When I first moved to Indiana and learned I would be going to the club everyday after school I was not excited. As time progressed though, I never wanted to leave.I met a wide variety of people, and made many new friends of all ages. I especially enjoyed going to the teen room when I was having a bad day because other teens as well as staff was there to cheer me up," Amanda said. " Another reason I love the club so much is because there is always something going on there. Andy, the Program Director, always encouraged me to join in activities. In the beginning I wasn't interested, but then I joined the volleyball league and had a great time! I was actually very happy that I had enrolled and that Andy had kept pushing me to do something. Seeing how much fun volleyball was, I signed up for more things! The club would not mean as much to me as it does if it were not for the amazing staff. It's truly not just a place to have fun, it's like a home. Not just any home though, my home."
Amanda is a sophomore at Portage High School and plans attend Purdue North Central to pursue a career as a nurse or pediatrician.
After receiving their individual Club honors, Dawn, Ashley and Amanda were then interviewed by a volunteer committee to be selected as the overall Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County Youth of the Year. This honor was awarded to Dawn Williams.
Dawn will represent the organization and compete for the title of Indiana Youth of the Year this spring where she could be awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Reader’s Digest Foundation, sponsor of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Youth of the Year program.
If she wins at the state level, Dawn will compete for the Midwest Region Youth of the Year and an additional $10,000 scholarship. The five regional winners will advance to Washington DO.CO. to compete for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Youth of the Year title. The National Youth of the Year receives an additional $15,000 scholarship and is installed by the President in an Oval Office ceremony.
To learn more about programs and services offered at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County please contact the Club nearest you or visit www.bgcpoco.org. The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County is to enable and inspire the youth of our community to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.