Youth of the Year Overview

Program Overview

Since 1947, Youth of the Year (YOY) has been BGCA's premier recognition program, celebrating the extraordinary achievements of Club members. Each year, one exceptional Club member is selected to be the National Youth of the Year (NYOY), who serves as both an exemplary ambassador for Boys & Girls Club youth, and as a strong voice for all of our nation’s youth.

The journey to being named National YOY begins locally and progresses to the state, regional and national levels. To achieve the title of YOY on any level, Club members must embody the values of leadership and service, academic excellence and healthy lifestyles, and should exemplify the critical impact that Boys & Girls Clubs have on the lives of young people.

Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor bestowed upon Club members. The National Youth of the Year serves as a role model and spokesperson for America’s youth for one year. They educate millions of Americans about the power of the Club experience and elevate the national focus on key issues facing children and teens.

Local YOY

A YOY is selected in the local Club from members who have participated in the year-round leadership program. The local YOY serves as a role model for other young people in the Club and as a representative to the community. In multi-unit organizations, only one candidate will be selected from Club-level YOYs to represent the entire organization and advance to the state and successive levels.

State YOY

Each candidate who advances to state-level YOY must submit an online application with supplemental materials through this application portal. This is a one-time submission that will be used at each successive level, should the candidate move on to regional and/or national participation.

Regional YOY

YOY candidates selected at the state level participate in their respective region’s YOY event. 

National Military YOY

The five military YOY candidates named Regional Military YOY will participate in a judging process to determine the National Military Youth of the Year.

National YOY

The five candidates named Regional YOY, along with the National Military YOY, will participate in a judging process to determine the National YOY. State, regional and National YOYs serve in their role for one year.