1 minute read
Boys & Girls Club
Virginia G. Piper Boys & Girls Club Teen Competes for Greater Scottsdale Youth of the Year Title, $20,000 Scholarship Award
Tara F., a junior at ASU Preparatory High School, has been named the 202122 Virginia G. Piper Branch Youth of the Year. This month, Tara will compete in round two of the competition against five other teens vying for $20,000 in scholarship money and the title of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (BGCS) Youth of the Year.
When Tara began attending the Virginia G. Piper Boys & Girls Club 10 years ago, she discovered her love of the art room— which quickly became the budding artist’s happy place.
“The art coordinator at the time let me stay in the art room all afternoon,” Tara recalls. “She connected me with the National Fine Arts Program, where I ended up submitting several of my art projects that went on to win awards. Because of her encouragement, I won scholarships two summers in a row to attend one of the Scottsdale Artists’ School summer camps.” Through the years, Tara gained many other skills at the Club. With programs like Leaders in Training, Junior Staff, and as the Treasurer of the Piper Keystone Club, Tara is preparing for a great future.
“When I clock out from junior staff, I’m exhausted,” she said. “But it’s the type of exhaustion that comes with knowing I’m doing something meaningful and making an impact. I am being for the kids what the staff were to me. This motivates me to continue to become the best version of myself.”
Youth of the Year is a Boys & Girls Clubs of America program promoting leadership, exceptional academic performance and community service. It starts at the local level, then on to the state and regional levels and finally culminating in the naming of the National Youth of the Year.
Each round of the competition includes essay writing, a speech, and panel interview with community leaders who serve as the judges.
Learn more about the Youth of the Year program and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale Virginia G. Piper Branch at www.bgcs.org. Or call (480) 860-1601 to schedule a tour.
