Teen Center

Youth of the Year Program

What is the National Youth of the Year Program & Competition?

Each year, one exceptional Club member is selected to be the National Youth of the Year, serving as an ambassador for Boys & Girls Club youth as well as a voice for all of our nation’s young people. Over the decades, these individuals have exemplified the Boys & Girls Club mission and are proof to the impact Clubs make in transforming and saving kids’ lives. National Youth of the Year winners have achieved success in a variety of industries, including entertainment, politics, business and sports.

Becoming National Youth of the Year is an exciting and inspiring journey. Each year, thousands of Club teens participate in local, state and regional Youth of the Year events. Six teens, including five regional winners and a national military youth winner, advance to the National Youth of the Year Celebration, where one outstanding young person is named Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national teen spokesperson. The National Youth of the Year is a role model, leader and advocate for over 3.6 million youth served by Boys & Girls Clubs each year, and all of America’s young people. 

Youth of the Year Journey

Throughout the Youth of the Year journey, Boys & Girls Clubs recognize these outstanding young people at local, state, and regional levels before providing an opportunity for six of these teens to strive for the title of National Youth of the Year.

THE SELECTION Process

Becoming National Youth of the Year is an exciting and inspiring journey. Each year, thousands of Club teens participate in local, state and regional Youth of the Year events. Six teens, including five regional winners and a national military youth winner, advance to the National Youth of the Year Celebration, where one outstanding young person is named Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national teen spokesperson. The National Youth of the Year is a role model, leader and advocate for the millions of youth served by Boys & Girls Clubs each year, and all of America's young people.

2024 BGC Noblesville Youth of the Year
ZEE MELINGER

Click here for more information on the BGCA Youth of the Year Program

UPS Road Code

UPS Road Code

This FREE national program educates teens about safe driving techniques based on training UPS provides its own drivers, who are among the safest drivers worldwide.

Drive Change in Teen Driving Behaviors

Since 2009, The UPS Foundation has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to deliver UPS Road Code, a program based on the same safety training UPS uses for its drivers. Approximately 150 UPS employees trained as volunteer instructors teach UPS Road Code's safe driving techniques to help teens "Drive Change." The program focuses on different safety principles, from basic instruction to the consequences of risky behaviors such as talking on cell phones, texting or drinking while driving. The program's state-of-the-art reality driving simulation challenges teens' safe driving knowledge by using virtual reality headsets featuring interactive animation, voice commands and a variety of driving environments.

UPS Road Code is available free of charge across the country. To find out if UPS Road Code is available at a local Boys & Girls Club in your area, contact upsroadcode@bgca.org

The Need for a Teen Safe Driving Program

Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than 1 in 3 teenage deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About seven young people die every day in motor vehicle crashes, and 285,000 teen drivers are injured in crashes annually.

Take the UPS Road Code Challenge

Want to test your knowledge of road safety? Click here to take the UPS Road Code Challenge and see if you know the rules of the road.

Click here for more information on the UPS Road Code Program

Esports

ESPORTS

Esports is an electronic sports and competitive video gaming Club. Members will participate individually or as part of a team in organized competitions with a  focus on developing fine motor skills, strategic planning, social-emotional skills and teamwork. The Club will also provide members to career opportunities and scholarships that exist within the video game industry. 

The Force

The Force

In our programs, we teach young people about judgement, creativity, decision making, communication, and collaboration - all highly sought-after competencies by todays employers. At the Club, every young person has access to quality out-of-school opportunities that intentionally support their workforce readiness. We have also introduced the Transfr Virtual Reality Career program into our workforce development curriculum, which allows members to do simulations of different careers like electric construction, aviation, automotive, health and medical sciences, and even cooking! By pairing the VR simulations with our workforce development activities, we hope to set our members up for success and well positioned for their Great Futures.