Exceptional Hartsville teen wins Youth of the Year title
Congratulations to Deriayna Wilson, from the Hartsville Boys & Girls Club, for competing for and winning the Pee Dee Youth of the Year title on February 18, 2017. She will head to Columbia from April 27-28 to vie with her peers from around the state for the title of South Carolina Youth of the Year.
The other local contestants were Keshon Stovall, 17, a junior at Hemingway High School; Ryan Jackson, 17, in Lake City’s Adult Education program; Aaron Gandy, 16, a sophomore at Wilson High School in Florence, and Erika Arriaga, 17, a junior at Hannah-Pamplico High School.
Deriayna, a sixteen-year-old Florence native, is now a junior at Hartsville High School. She is one of two daughters of a single mom. Her mom has relied on the Boys & Girls Club to keep the two girls safe and productively engaged during the time she is at her full-time job and away from home for work-related travel. Deriayna says, “Keystone Club is my favorite!” This teen program focuses on leadership development, and allows teens to plan and carry out their own activities, including community service projects.
According to Deriayna, “My experience with the Boys & Girls Club has been positive for the last four years. Everything that I have learned has given me additional expertise in learning how to become more focused in my goals. I have also learned to be patient and persistent in pursuing my dreams. I continue to be focused on my schoolwork. I understand the importance of achieving a higher level of education. I want to GET the best for my life and BE the best. I have learned the importance of working within the community, as well as demonstrating leadership skills at school. I will take these learned skills with me when I attend college after graduation.”
Deriayna concludes with this inspiration: “I continue to support my friends and people I meet daily. I wouldn’t trade anything for my experiences at the BGC. It has given me more opportunities than I could ever imagine. Therefore, I will continue to be a motivator for the youth of today.”
To achieve the title of Youth of the Year on any level, club members must embody the values of leadership and service, academic excellence and healthy lifestyles. They should exemplify the critical impact that Boys & Girls Clubs have on the lives of young people. Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. As BGCA’s premier youth recognition program, Youth of the Year recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club, as well as overcoming personal challenges and obstacles. Youth of the Year encourages Club members to reach their full potential by achieving academic success, leading healthy lifestyles and contributing to their communities. Each year’s honorees are living proof that great futures start at Boys & Girls Clubs.