BRATTLEBORO — Family, friends, and staff filled the performance area in the Boys & Girls Club on Flat Street on Feb. 13 for a brief but heartfelt ceremony in which eight young people were honored for their hard work and dedication.
From this group of eight, two received the club's top awards: Tony Maguire was named the Junior Youth of the Year, and Zachary Buckley-Dunbar, 18, was named 2018's Youth of the Year.
“Telling your story is the hardest thing to do, and I'm humbled and honored by the students who do this,” said Vice President Lisa Ford during opening remarks.
Club Executive Director Ricky Davidson said, “Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive.”
“The title recognizes outstanding high achievement in the areas of academic excellence, healthy lifestyles, leadership, character and service, as well as obstacles overcome,” Davidson said.
He said that the judges deliberated longer than they have for any other year's contest that he can remember in the decade and a half that he has worked for the club.
To be considered, club members are nominated by staff. The nominees then complete an extensive application process that includes an application form, a personal essay, a description of their character or personal brand, an essay on their club experience, and letters of recommendation.
The four finalists for each award meet with judges from the community. At the evening ceremony, they also give a public presentation of their personal essay.
In his presentation, Buckley-Dunbar spoke about building better support services for homeless youth. He also discussed his academic struggles and shared how those struggles led him to find a learning path and style that worked for him.
He discovered a love for hands-on learning and construction. Buckley-Dunbar spoke with sincerity and enthusiasm about an upcoming class trip to Florida to participate in a Habitat for Humanity house build.
He also spoke enthusiastically of the construction classes he takes at the Windham Regional Career Center.
At the ceremony, Buckley-Dunbar, who intends to study construction management after high school, received a $500 scholarship, provided by GPI Construction of Brattleboro.
While many people of all ages cling to their comfort zones, he said he felt excited to step into the unknown - to meet new people, to visit a place he'd never seen, and to gain new experiences.
“I feel on top of the world,” said a flustered Buckley-Dunbar after receiving his award.
He added that he applied to - and lost - Youth of the Year once before. That experience prepared him for this year, he said, adding that he felt more prepared and focused in this process.
He thanked his mentor, Sydney Roberts, for shepherding him through the process.
Youth of the Year runner-up Rami Abdallah, 15, from Brattleboro Union High School, shared a sense of empathy and strategies to reduce bullying.
Parker Hubbard, 14, from Brattleboro Area Middle School, discussed difficult experiences with clear and courageous honesty.
Nathan Kenny, 16, from Brattleboro Union High School, discussed the pressures created by social media on young people to hide their true selves. He shared his desire to help people celebrate their uniqueness.
Maguire's fellow candidates for Junior Youth of the Year included Kaydee Baker, Payton Looman, and Lindsey Wright.
Davidson called Maguire, an eighth grader at Brattleboro Area Middle School, “a confident public speaker” who “credits the Club with helping him make good choices, while other teens are not.”
'The opportunity to shine is huge'
Last year's Youth of the Year, Danaysa Vargas, reminded the finalists that getting this far in the competition signals their hard work.
Everyone who finishes the finalist round deserves applause, she said.
“You're all so special,” said Vargas, adding that there's more to the Youth of the Year process than just winning.
She said she was beaten at the state level but still had a great experience and built friendships.
“I'm still friends with the girl who kicked my butt last year,” she said.
Davidson explained the importance of recognizing club member's achievements through Youth of the Year.
“All of our kids are really special,” he said, but they often go unrecognized.
“The opportunity to shine is huge,” Davidson said.
Most of the club members aren't captain of the football team or class valedictorian, Davidson said. “They're capable, but they're striving in ways less tangible.”
To Montpelier and - maybe - beyond
The Brattleboro chapter of the Boys & Girls Club celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and 2019 marks its 16th year of hosting Youth of the Year competitions.
Davidson said that is unusual, as most new clubs wait until their 10th anniversary to even start hosting the competition.
Brattleboro's chapter is one of 4,000 across the United States and on military bases, Davidson said, and one of five that operate in Vermont. Brattleboro's club has had five state Youth of the Year winners.
In April, both Buckley-Dunbar and Maguire will visit Montpelier, where they will tour the Statehouse and meet the governor.
Maguire will also get a chance to observe Buckley-Dunbar as he competes for the title of Vermont Youth of the Year, which comes with a $5,000 scholarship for the winner.
From there, according to Davidson, the Vermont Youth of the Year competes this summer in New York City for the title of Northeast Region Youth of the Year and an additional $10,000 scholarship.
The five regional winners will advance to Washington, D.C., in September, to compete for the title of BGCA's National Youth of the Year.
The National Youth of the Year receives an additional $15,000 college scholarship and is installed by the president in an Oval Office ceremony.