Clayton Youth Council brings home honors

Clayton Youth Council wins top honors at Spring Convention

Submitted by TOWN OF CLAYTON

CLAYTON — Clayton Parks and Recreation’s Clayton Youth Council (CYC) earned two top honors at this year’s State Youth Council Spring Convention.

The CYC is a teen-run volunteer organization for high school students in Clayton. The council is made up of 56 members and was recognized at a virtual state convention recently.

According to Recreation Program Coordinator and CYC Adviser Joni HubbleZeneberg, the CYC won the “Most Helpful Senior Award” and the “Most Creative/ Innovative Council Project Award.”

The Most Helpful Senior Award was presented to Kadence Baumgardner. She was recognized for demonstrating uncompromising dedication to her council and community.

“Even with balancing school, work and CYC, Kadence has demonstrated time after time her passion for serving others in the community,” said Hubble-Zeneberg. “We are all so very proud of her accomplishment. She is truly deserving of this honor.”

For the past two years, Baumgardner served as the council’s Vice President and has been instrumental in helping to grow its membership.

The CYC was presented with the Most Creative/ Innovative Council Project Award for its First Responders Appreciation Baskets project. The goal of the project was to bring awareness to the hardships that first responders have faced during the pandemic and then give back to them for their service.

Twenty-one members of the CYC worked together to create gift baskets to benefit the Clayton Fire Department, Clayton Police Department and Johnston County EMS.

Clayton Youth Council member James Ashely (second from left) stands with members of the Clayton Fire Department after presenting the department with gift baskets as part of a CYC project. Members of the CFD from left are Firefighter Monica Joyner, Firefighter Alan Johnson, and Engineer Anthony Venero.