Youth of the Year winners recognized at BGC luncheon

Zaachila Barajas of Elko won among six finalists as the Boys and Girls Clubs State Youth of the Year and will go on to compete nationally in Washington, D.C.

Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year finalists were honored March 8 in a luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion with Gov. Joe Lombardo providing a few words about the program and Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar announcing the winners.

Finalists included Anaya Bard, Christian Arroyo, Joselyn Reyna-Flores, Zaachila Barajas and Aurora Brethauer.

Abigail Ampong of Shadow Ridge High School in Las Vegas was named Military Youth of the Year. Ampong is the daughter of Joseph Ampong, a major who has served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force and soon will retire.

Ampong said being a part of the Boys and Girls Clubs Youth of the Year program was a “great opportunity” for herself.

“At first I didn’t see the significance of it because I kind of saw it as extra work,” she said.

She added that “I can be the voice of all the miliary youth to highlight what we go through, that we can adapt and overcome, be resilient and overcome.”

Reyna-Flores of Carson High School called it a “big honor” to represent her club at the local level.

“I’ve always been the type of person to be involved in my community and it’s a good way for me to represent my club as well and showing them their hard is obviously paying off in our community to help teens like myself who have struggled throughout my high school years,” she said.

BGC Executive Director Mike Wurm said the clubs statewide provide opportunities for the state’s youth and thanked the judges for taking part in the programs that support the teens statewide.