EXCEPTIONAL OCEANSIDE TEEN WINS COUNTY YOUTH OF THE YEAR HONOR FOR BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF OCEANSIDE

Oceanside, CA (March 19, 2020) – Selected among several outstanding youth in San Diego County, Hunter Meyer will compete against other Boys & Girls Club members for the California Youth of the Year title and a $5,000 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). The California competition will take place “virtually” on April 15th. The winner was announced today by BGCA, as the San Diego Clubs had to cancel their annual Youth of the Year dinner last Thursday due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead, succeed and inspire. This is the fifth time in six years that a Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside member has won the county competition.

Hunter, age 18, was born and raised in Oceanside and grew up in a large family of nine children. Hunter would be the first to say that he was on the wrong path when he found the Boys & Girls Club. He came to the Club through the Oceanside Youth Partnership, a collaboration between the Oceanside Police Department and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside, designed to keep at-risk youth from further contact with law enforcement. At the time, Hunter was a reluctant participant in the 12 week program which focuses on character building and mentoring. Hunter now credits that program and the Club with saving his life.

“Hunter is so deserving of this honor; he is truly an example of someone who has turned his life around. We couldn’t be prouder of him and his accomplishments,” said Jodi Diamond, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside. “I saw his transformation right before my eyes. After volunteering for a full year, Hunter became a paid employee. Hunter exemplifies everything that the Club is about – leadership, character development, integrity, resilience and the power of hard work.” said Diamond.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year recognition program is presented by Toyota, empowering young people to reach their full potential and providing youth with access to the tools they need to build the great futures they imagine. Toyota, the Signature Sponsor of Youth of the Year, is committed to helping improve the quality of life in our communities, and has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring youth have access to a quality education. Additional support is provided by University of Phoenix, a national education partner that has joined with BGCA to impact academic success among youth across the country, and the Taco Bell Foundation, BGCA’s premier partner for teen
empowerment.

If Hunter wins at the state competition, he will compete for the title of Pacific Region Youth of the Year and an additional $10,000 college scholarship, renewable for four years up to $40,000. Five regional winners will advance to Washington, D.C to compete for the title of BGCA’s National Youth of the Year.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside

Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside (BGCO) is a youth development organization that is dedicated to providing a safe, fun and enriching environment for youth to spend time during non-school hours.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside is a local, independent organization affiliated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America. BGCO raises 100% of the funds that support our life changing programs through individual giving, events and grants. 100% of those funds stay right here in North County to serve youth in our local communities.

We continue to uphold our mission: To inspire, develop and enrich young people to reach their fullest potential as confident, responsible, caring members of society.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more on our Facebook page and our Twitter page.

For more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside contact Vanessa Mendez at [email protected], call (760) 433-8920, visit our website or Facebook page.