Boys and Girls Club Youth of Year earns $1,000 scholarship
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on March 19, 2006 2:00 AM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Goldsboro High School senior Hameka Canady received a $1,000 scholarship to the college of her choice Tuesday after being named the 2006 Boy's & Girl's Club Youth of the Year.
This is the first year the club has given a scholarship when naming its Youth of the Year.
A panel made up of board members and community leaders interviewed the four finalists in the county-wide competition last week at the Wayne County Public Schools administration office.
Board member Barbara Smith said the four came in "dressed to the hilt, and they looked and acted very professional."
The other finalists were Chris Hall from Charles B. Aycock High School, La'Tora Armwood from Southern Wayne High and Iveon Sprangle from Goldsboro High.
Miss Canady was chosen the winner, but her name was not released until the board meeting Tuesday. None knew who the winner was when they gathered for the pizza lunch and panel discussion.
During the panel discussion various board members asked questions, and the four panelists showed off their interviewing skills.
Miss Canady said she was shy when she first started attending the Boys & Girls Club, but the staff and the other members allowed her to develop social skills.
"Now I'm president of my class, and we're planning a fund raiser for my class," she said. "I'm captain of the varsity cheerleading squad, and I've developed leadership skills, too."
Criteria for the Youth of the Year honor include leadership qualities, service exhibited, obstacles overcome, two essays and goal-setting.
Miss Canady will represent the Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County our organization in State Youth of the Year Competition April 6 and 7 in Cherokee, N.C. The competition will be hosted by the Boys & Girls Club Cherokee Youth Center and will be sponsored by the Boys & Girls Clubs North Carolina Area Council. The council has 36 to 40 youth coming from Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the state.
The winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship.