By Hannah E. Jones

On Tuesday, June 15, the Georgia Aquarium’s beluga whales and stingrays were joined by excited teenagers and their families from all around the Southeast. They gathered for a night of celebration at the annual Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Southeast Youth of the Year ceremony.

This year, 18 teen candidates from around the region came to Atlanta to celebrate their personal accomplishments, connect with each other and honor the impact that BGCA has had on their lives. There were also many proud parents and club advisors in attendance. 

Prior to the event, each student had already been selected as the State Youth of the Year and awarded a $2,500 scholarship. Metro Atlanta’s Elias D. was selected as Georgia Youth of the Year, and Ovani N. of the Robins AFB Youth Program was named Georgia Military Youth of the Year. After the students took the stage, emcee Ashley ShahAhmadi helped present the next slate of award winners.

The 2023 Southeast Youth of the Year winners are:

• Southeast Youth of the Year: Abigail A., Greater Washington (Virginia Youth of the Year)
• Military Southeast Youth of the Year: Hannah W., Hurlburt Field Youth Program (Florida Military Youth of the Year)

The event also served as a fundraiser and by the end of the night, over $1 million was raised to support BGCA’s work.

For over 75 years, BGCA has used this recognition program to celebrate its exceptional Club Kids. Headquartered in Atlanta, BGCA has over 5,000 locations and serves around 3.6 million young people.

Senior Vice President of Youth Development for the BGCA, Jennifer Bateman, told SaportaReport that the leadership development program helps build “confidence and self efficacy,” while also creating “a network of supporters that believe in them.”

“The feedback we get…