Erica - a 13-year member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland's Ossian E. Carr Branch-earned Youth of the Year standing for her Clubhouse, then went on to win the overall 2009 Youth of the Year honor for BGCO, and was selected one of 3 Northern California finalists who vied for the prestigious California State Youth of the Year title in Sacramento on March 11, 2009.

With roots in the Elmhurst District of East Oakland, Erica is a senior at Hayward's Tennyson High School. She is also a member of BGCO's Junior Staff and considers the Staff and her fellow Club members "my second family". Her road to becoming the 2009 BGCO Youth of the Year included outstanding contributions to her family, school, community, and her Boys & Girls Club with equal consideration for her academic excellence and the personal challenges and obstacles she has overcome. According to Ms. Diana Vazquez, Erica's Counselor "Erica has done great and is on the principal's honor roll (GPA 4.0)."

For Erica, "family is the most important thing in life." "One of the major things that I can contribute to my family is attending a university, sticking with my goal, and completing all four years." "I want to show my family that I have value, that I plan to educate myself, and that I would do whatever it takes to fulfill my dream in education."

Erica, a June, 2009 high school graduate, has been accepted to California State University - East Bay. With additional school options pending, she plans to make her final college selection by early spring.

The Youth of the Year program, sponsored by The Reader’s Digest Foundation, is in its 61st year. The program recognizes outstanding contributions to a member's family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club, academic excellence, as well as personal challenges and obstacles overcome. The Readers Digest Foundation awards each state finalist a $1,000 college scholarship and each regional finalist a $5,000 college scholarship. The five regional finalists compete for the title of National Youth of the Year and an opportunity to earn an additional $10,000 college scholarship. Each fall Boys & Girls Clubs of America's National Youth of the Year are installed by the U.S. President during a ceremony in the Oval Office.