Discover the inspiring journeys of the Youth of the Year candidates from Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis.
The night features a celebration for BGCSTL President Dr. Fowler
ST. LOUIS, MO (October 9, 2024) – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) road to the Youth of the Year comes to an exciting culmination at the Great Futures Gala, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at the Big Top, 3401 Washington Ave., at 6 pm. The Youth of the Year winner and runner-ups will be announced at the Gala. An epic night is on tap. The celebration includes a sentimental honor to BGCSTL President Dr. Flint Fowler, who will retire at the end of the year.
The Youth of the Year is a signature Boys & Girls Clubs program. It is the highest honor a Club member can achieve, celebrating the recipient’s contributions to family, school, community, and their respective site. The Great Futures Gala is BGCSTL’s largest fundraiser of the year. This year’s theme and dress code is “Jeans, Jewels, and Sneakers.”
Get ready to be inspired by the four remarkable Youth of the Year finalists.
D’Aura Tatum – A junior at McCluer North Senior High School, plans to become a licensed Cosmetologist. She also plans to attend college and study nursing. A Club member for the past ten years, D’Aura loves the SMART Girls program. “It brings girls together and focuses on teaching us life skills.”
Alex Sargent – A proud 13-year Club member, Alex says she plans to become an entrepreneur and Cosmetologist. She also wants to pursue a business degree. Her favorite Boys & Girls activity is Keystone Club. “Keystone Club has offered me so many opportunities and resources.” She says SMART Girls has given her guidance, leadership, and confidence.
Austin Nichols—A juniorat Civic Memorial High School in Bethalto, Ill., Austin has attended BGC Bethalto for the past ten years. He is a busy young man who is active in high school sports, including playing wide receiver and running track. He plans to obtain his doctorate degree in Computer Science with the goal of working for a large software company.
Destiny Henry—A University City High School senior, Destiny has been a Teen Center of Excellence member for four years. Her great future includes attending college to study pre-med, researching non-opioid pain treatment, and working as an anesthesia resident. She also plans to study abroad. Her dream is to make a significant breakthrough in treatments for Sickle Cell patients like her Mom. Destiny hopes to find a cure for sickle cell!
The dedicated committee, including event co-chairs Julie and Tom Donnelly, Angelleen Peters Lewis and Keith Galloway, and Megan and Curtis Ridgeway, makes the success of the Great Futures Gala possible.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our loyal sponsors, including Presenting Sponsors Dowd Bennett LLP and Emerson, and Platinum Sponsors Charles Schwab, Jim Butler, and Edward Jones, for their unwavering support.
For a deeper understanding of how the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis is positively impacting our community, we invite you to visit www.bgcstl.org.
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. BGCSTL provides after-school, teen, sports and summer programs to youth across the Bi-State Region while also providing a safe place for them to learn and grow. The Clubs serve youth across the region at twelve locations, including (Adams Park Club, Bentwood Townhomes Club, Bethalto Club, Hazelwood Elementary School Club, Herbert Hoover Club, Mathews-Dickey Club, and the Teen Center of Excellence). We also operate Mentor St. Louis and the St. Louis Internship Program.
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