BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY NAMES YOUTH OF THE YEAR
Palm Beach County, FL– Brianna Hollins, a 17-year-old Boys & Girls Club member from West Palm Beach, was recently named the Youth of the Year for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. This national Boys & Girls Club of America program is offered throughout the country and provides youth an opportunity to compete both locally and nationally.
Brianna competed against youth from the other Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, has been an active Club member at the Florence De George Boys & Girls Club for eight years, and was recognized for her leadership, academic achievements, service to her Club and her history of community service.
Throughout her tenure at the Boys & Girls Clubs, Brianna has been actively involved in numerous programs from homework help and Money Matters, to leadership roles in the Keystone Club and participation in the State Education Day Program, ballroom dancing and many more.
However, Brianna is particularly proud of the Rise & Shine Food Co-op, which she along with a group of other teens started to help feed families in need of affordable food, especially healthy food choices including fresh fruits and vegetables. The teen-inspired and teen-operated co-op, which was featured nationally on NBC’s Making a Difference segment, operates twice monthly and provides families with either a $15 or $30 package and a minimum of at least twice the value. Today nearly 1,000 families have participated. As, the president of the Food Co-op Teen Board, Brianna represented the teens at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national conference in New York as well as at the National Foundation For Teaching Entrepreneurship in Miami. Most recently, she provided a lecture on the program for students in the Public Health Master’s Degree program.
“Brianna not only provides inspiration to the other Club members, but she also inspires the entire staff. Her optimism and drive are infectious and she is constantly encouraging her peers to keep their grades up and be responsible for their own actions. She is just a joy to know,” said Mary O’Connor, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s President & CEO.
Brianna credits the Club with helping her break out of her shell, build long-lasting relationships and stand up for what she believes is right. “My Club will forever be a part of me and when someone asks me where I am going after school, I proudly say, I’m going to the Boys & Girls Club!”
Brianna recently graduated from Palm Beach Lakes Community High School and will be attending the University of Central Florida.
Boys & Girls Clubs is the largest nonprofit youth development organization dedicated to serving the neediest children throughout Palm Beach County County. Over 6,000 children, age 6 to 18, are served annually by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach. The mission of the Club is to inspire and assist all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. For additional information, visit www.bgcpbc.org or contact the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County at 561.683.3287.
