​Athens Senior Ian Clark Named B&GCT Youth of the Year

Athens Senior Ian Clark Named B&GCT Youth of the Year

The Boys & Girls Club of Troy (BGCT) and Troy Athens High School are proud to announce that Athens senior Ian Clark was selected as the 2021 Boys & Girls Club of Troy (BGCT) Youth of the Year. This is his first time winning this award after being selected as the Jr. Youth of the Year recipient in 2020. Ian will now compete against members of other Boys & Girls Clubs in the state for the Michigan Youth of the Year title and a $5,000 college scholarship courtesy of program sponsors which include Toyota and Mondelez International.

As the 2021 Youth of the Year honoree for the Boys & Girls Club of Troy, the 17-year old is among hundreds of teens across the country being recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) for sound character, leadership skills and willingness to give back to the community.

BGCA's premier youth recognition program, Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. The program encourages Club members to reach their full potential by achieving academic success, leading healthy lifestyles and contributing to their communities.

"Ian has been one of the most active members at the Boys & Girls Club of Troy. From being a leader in our Keystone Club or helping kids grow as one of our Leaders In Training and as a Junior Staff, Ian has become an outstanding young leader. We have witnessed him grow over his 10 years at the Club and has become a positive role model for all of our youth here. I'm amazed by not only by how far Ian has come both academically and personally, but that he continues to give back to the club that has given him so much," said Boys & Girls Club of Troy CEO Jeff Evans. "His talent, personality and work ethic make him a well-deserved representative of the Boys & Girls Club of Troy and the local community."

"It is an honor to represent the Boys & Girls Club of Troy as the 2021 Youth of the Year," said Ian. "I thank the Boys & Girls Club of Troy for helping to grow me into the person that I am today. Thank you for providing me with a platform to share my story, to grow my voice, and to show pride and respect for my Club. I will also make sure that everyone knows how amazing it is to be a part of a great environment, the Boys & Girls Club of Troy."

Ian has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club for ten years. He has volunteered in a number of roles throughout the Club, most notably in leadership roles in the Keystone & Torch Clubs. Additionally, Ian has volunteered throughout the Club’s program areas and the Club’s Adopt-A-Road cleanup effort. Ian has also worked at the Club as a Junior Staff for the past two years and will be a part of this year's Summer Staff. He credits the Club with helping him to find his passion for math and science through the Club’s STEM programs. He plans to follow his passion to get a degree in Civil Engineering at Lawrence Technological University.

Each year, thousands of Club teens participate in local, state and regional Youth of the Year events. Six teens, including five regional winners and a national military youth winner, advance to Washington, D.C., for the National Youth of the Year Gala & Celebration Dinner, where one outstanding young person is named Boys & Girls Clubs of America's national teen spokesperson. The National Youth of the Year is a role model, leader and advocate for the nearly four million youth served by Boys & Girls Clubs each year, and all of America's young people.

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Photo of Ian Clark courtesy of the Clark Family and Troy School District