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Boys & Girls Clubs honor youth

Boys & Girls Clubs honor youth for 2006

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Massachusetts honored their 2006 Youths of the Year at their Annual Awards Banquet at the School Street Bistro in Westfield on May 24.

Bo Sullivan, co-host for the WHYN morning show and Board President of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield, served as master of ceremonies of this year's event.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Western Mass Area Council also announced Sovereign Bank as their Youth of the Year event sponsor. David M. Hobert, Senior Vice-President said, "Sovereign Bank is pleased to support the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year awards dinner as part of our commitment to youth programs and youth volunteerism in western Massachusetts. The youth honorees are not only leaders among their peers, but are examples to us all. Their courage, service, and hard work is something we should all youth and adults alike strive to emulate in our communities." Sovereign Bank presented each youth of the year a $250 savings bond and Youth of the Year plaque.

The Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year program is based on its members abilities to demonstrate healthy attitudes toward home, community, school, and the Club. To achieve personal growth, develop leadership skills, develop writing, listening and speaking skills, and to identify with positive role models.

The following local youths have been selected as 2006 Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Massachusetts Youths of the Year: Malar R. Patel, Chicopee Boys & Girls Club; Yesenia E. Castro, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke; Robert E. Muchinson, Springfield Boys & Girls Club; Dory S. Welch, Springfield Family Center Boys & Girls Club; Brittney Lee Owens, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Westfield; and Alexander Richard Hripak, West Springfield Boys & Girls Club.

The Youths of the Year represented their Clubs in the state finals May 18 at Boys & Girls Club of Metrowest in Marlboro. The state winner will continue on to the Northeast Regional Competition later this summer.

Five regional winners will compete for the national honor in Washington, D.C. in September, where President George Bush will officially install the National Youth of the Year in a White House ceremony.

Sponsored by the Reader's Digest Association and administered by Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the national program recognizes superior leadership skills, academic achievement, obstacles overcome and outstanding service to Boys & Girls Clubs and the community. The winner also will receive a $10,000 scholarship from The Reader's Digest Association.