COVINGTON, Ga. — Miracle Gospel, Newton County Boys & Girls Club member, has been named Youth of the Year for her club, which is the highest honor bestowed upon youth within the Boys & Girls Club.

Youth named to this title showcase exemplary core characters that Boys & Girls Clubs fosters — leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle.

Gospel will now compete for the organizational title for Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Georgia in November and, if she wins, will compete for the state of Georgia Youth of the Year and a chance to win a $5,000 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America. 

“Miracle is very strong and passionate about fighting for the issues that teens face,” Nakita Williams, director of the Newton County Boys & Girls Club, said. “She’s been a member of the club since our opening June 3, 2019. Since then, she has continued to showcase leadership skills and willingness to participate in the programs at the Boys & Girls Club while encouraging her peers.”

Miracle participates in SMART Girls, which is a small-group health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program designed to meet the developmental needs of girls. She is also the president of our Keystone Club. Keystone is the Boys & Girls Club Movement’s most dynamic teen program. It affords teens an opportunity to gain valuable leadership and service experience.  

“Miracle continuously comes up with different ideas for the teens, as well as different ideas to help the community that she is a part of,” Williams said. “She wants to focus on creating programs for young ladies to help build self-esteem and self-awareness. She also wants to implement an art program that will help teens heal from grief of losing a loved one. After losing two cousins to gun violence, she found her healing in painting and wants to do the same for other teens.”

Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year recognition program is presented by Disney, who has supported the youth advocacy organization for more than 50 years, empowering young people to reach their full potential and providing youth with access to the tools they need to build the great futures they imagine. Toyota, the signature sponsor of Youth of the Year, is dedicated to inspiring the next generations of engineers, thinkers and leaders who will help drive the American economy. 

If Miracle Gospel wins at the state competition, she will compete for the title of Southeast Region Youth of the Year and an additional $10,000 college scholarship, renewable for four years up to $40,000. 

Five regional winners will advance to Washington, D.C., in September 2020, to compete for the title of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year. The National Youth of the Year will receive an additional scholarship of $25,000, renewable each year up to $100,000, and will have the opportunity to meet with the president of the United States at the White House.

For more information about the Youth of the Year program, visit www.youthoftheyear.org. 

For more information about Newton County Boys & Girls Club, visit www.bgcncg.com or call 470-444-1914.