2018 Youth of the Year

Briana Vergara, 17, was named Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade’s 2018 Youth of the Year. Apanel of individuals from a diverse mix of Miami-area companies: Angela Smith with the Miami Marlins, Nelson Fraga with NCL, Erica Glick with Top Golf plus Ahbria Marshall, a former Youth of the Year, served as the judges to select this year’s Youth of the Year.

Vergara has been a member of the Kendall Club since she was in kindergarten. She and 29 other teens from Florida Boys & Girls Clubs will be competing for the State Title on April 12-14 in Sarasota. Vergara is a senior at John A. Ferguson High School with a 4.9 weighted GPA who wants to attend Florida International University and become a Civil Rights Lawyer.

2017 Youth of the Year

Francisco Pividal was named Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade’s 2017 Youth of the Year. A panel of six individuals — one each from a diverse mix of important Miami-area companies: Swire Properties, Enterprise Holdings, Ross Stores, Miami Marlins, NCL and Coca-Cola — plus one past Youth of the Year, served as the seven judges to select the Youth of the Year.

Pividal has been a member of the Kendall Club for the past six years. He will be representing Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade at the state level competition, April 6–8, in Orlando.

2013 Youth of the Year

Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade, is pleased to announce that 17-year-old South Miami resident Adrian Abreu has been selected as the organization’s 2013 Youth of the Year. Abreu, who is active at Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade’s Hank Kline Club, was selected from among many honorable nominees, including winners from the organization’s four other clubs.

Since he was 8 years old, Abreu, who is profoundly deaf, has been active at the Hank Kline Club. “The club changed my life and helped me learn many new things,” he said. “Being a part of Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade has made me realize that it’s OK to be different.”

2012 Youth of the Year

Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade Youth of the Year 18-year-old Ahbria Marshall of the Northwest Club was honored this year as our €œWeekend Marlins first pitch ball thrower on June 22 game. Marshall, who is in theTop 4 in Florida Youth of the Year, has been a Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade member since she was in 2nd grade. She is active in Girl Scouts, and a member of the 4-H Club.

She helped launch the Cultural Arts Program at the organization’€™s Northwest Club, and was active in the after school enrichment program offered at that club, which works to bring awareness of health, fitness, nutrition and the upkeep of animals and plants at the club. Marshall graduated magna cum laude from Miami Northwestern Senior High School this year, and will be attending Florida International University in Miami in the fall. Her ambition is to become a newscaster.

2010 Youth of the Year

Luis Concepcion, 18, graduated on June 2010 from Coral Gables High School and is a Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade, Hank Kline Club member since he was 7 years old. Luis was one of the four finalists at the Florida Youth of the Year State Competition in Sarasota, Florida held on April 12, 2010. For the past three years, he has been chosen as the Organizational Winner to represent the Clubs of Miami- Dade. As a finalist, Concepcion was awarded $1,000 educational scholarship sponsored by the Florida Alliance Group.

The Youth of the Year Award is the highest honor that a young man or woman can earn in the Boys & Girls Clubs Movement. The event features more than 28 youths, ages 14-18, from different Boys & Girls Clubs of Florida. Applicants are screened and judged on leadership qualities and services exhibited through: home and family, moral character, community, school, service to club, life goals, obstacles overcome, essays, poise and public speaking.

Being selected one of the finalist was a great honor. This experience was a real eye opener. It reminded me that we all face obstacles but we have to keep moving forward to reach success,” said Concepcion, who is planning to attend Florida Atlantic University to study Writing and one day become a Composer.

We are honored to have a young man like Luis involved in the Boys & Girls Clubs movement. He is a true Champion and we wish him the very best.